In The Rough
by Hippielover459
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.
1. Chapter 1

**Notes:** I have up to chapter ten written, so I won't have a reasin not to update until then. Yes, the first few chapters are very movie verse, but I have a reason for that, so please don't make a big deal about it. And I based this mostly on the movie, but there will be book references for all of you who DID read the book. And I tried to edit this myself so if you find any mitakes, please try to ignore them.  
**Warning:** Language and Violence.  
**Summary:** They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except for the later mentioned plot and Bailey Warnock and her family and anything else not recgonized.  
**Reminder**: **_Please review!_**

* * *

I never really thought I was weird. Who ever does really?

The first friend I ever had was a boy named Christopher Chambers. Chris for short. He was the first person to ever call me Bia, instead of Bailey. My mother never came out and said it, but I knew she didn't like him. He came from a bad family. Everyone knew he would be bad too. But I didn't care. He was a good friend. And at 6, that's all that seemed to matter.

We were inseparable until we were 7. Well, until I was seven and he was 8. I was always the young one. I had skipped first grade, so go figure.

Anyway, about 3 month after I turned seven, my mother packed up everything, and moved me and my sister Valerie (age 13 at the time) out to Pennsylvania.

Let me tell you how much that sucked.

I had no friends for one. The girls were wimps and the boys were dumb. They were nothing like Chris, or the other boy we had sort of become friends with, Gordie Lachance, his name was.

We had lived out there in PA for almost three years when Valerie was in a head-on collision. After that, my mom and I moved back to Castle Rock.

My first day back was hell. My mother couldn't look at me and I had no one else to talk too. I just realized I hadn't mentioned my father. Well, he died when I was only a year old. I don't really care. From what I was told, he was a real asshole.

Yes, but, getting back to the main story, after I was put back in school, my first day back, I was late, because the stupid-ass secretaries lost the forms and had to go and re-locate them. So when I walked in Mrs. Harts 5th grade class late, I saw Chris again for the first time in three years.

Guess who I got to sit next to?

If you said Chris, pat yourself on the back.

He passed me a note right before lunch. It said to that he wanted me to meet his friends at lunch.

Lunch came and I met his friends.

Gordie was almost like a girl in a boys body, only more manly. Does that make any sense? It did to me.

Teddy Duchamp was fucking crazy. His laugh made him even more crazy. It was almost scary.

And Vern Tessio? Well…he was kind of fat. But he seemed okay.

At any rate, after school Chris took me to '_The Gangs_' tree house thing and taught me the secret knock.

Teddy almost shit himself when he came and saw me. Apparently, the rule was **no girls**.

Chris said, and I quote, "Bia ain't a girl. Well, she is. But she ain't. You know what? Shut up Teddy and deal."

No one ever questioned me being there again.

We spent the next two years together. Everything was fine. Though I never told Chris or any of the other boys about my sister. To them, I guess I was like an only child. I don't even think Chris remembered Valerie. But I liked it that way.

By the time school let out after 6th grade, things were getting weird. Not like weird weird, but weird. People thought it was strange I hung out with the bad-boy Chambers, the pussy Lachance, the Loon for a Father Duchamp and the fat Tessio. But I never saw them like that. Chris was my best friend. Gordie was an amazing listener and story writer, Teddy…well, yes, Teddy was whack, but in the good way, and Vern was…well…Vern.

Well, anyway, it was the weekend before we came to in Junior High. We were all just sitting around the tree house waiting for Vern to get his ass there so we could decide what to do. When he finally arrived, he was completely out of breath and he had to tell us something important. We gave him a super hard time until he finally just said, "You guys wanna go see a dead body?"

He went on to tell us about how he was under the porch and heard everything. I wasn't really listening. I figured this would be a "boys thing" and they would fill me in when they came back.

"Bia." Chris snapped his fingers in front of my face.

I blinked a few times. "Are you okay?" Gordie asked.

I nodded. "Of course." Why were they all looking at me?

"So are you coming or not?" Teddy asked, looking all excited.

Wow, I was invited. Truth be told, I almost said no, Then I saw the looks on all of their faces and nodded again, only slower. "Sure, what the hell."

Then we left to pack. I knew my mother wouldn't care. She has barely left her bedroom since we moved back except to go to work. She probably thinks everything was entirely my fault.

We all met up just on the edge of town for an adventure I will never forget.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes:** I now have up to chapter 11 done. And since I have Stage Crew till six thirty tomorrow (and school lets out at 11) I thought in case I didn't want to upload, which wouldn't fair, I decided it upload now! So here you go! And this chapter kinda sucked to write, but I got it over with. As always, ignore the mistakes. I do my best.  
**Warning:** Language and Violence.  
**Summary:** They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
**Disclaimer:** Check chapter 1  
**Reminder:** _**Please review!**_

I now have up to chapter 11 done. And since I have Stage Crew till six thirty tomorrow (and school lets out at 11) I thought in case I didn't want to upload, which wouldn't fair, I decided it upload now! So here you go! And this chapter kinda sucked to write, but I got it over with. As always, ignore the mistakes. I do my best. Language and Violence. They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here. Check chapter 1:

* * *

"What do we need a pistol for anyway?" Chris had just shown us his fathers .45. So of course, Vern had to cry about it.

"It'll get scary sleeping out in the woods at night. It's darker there than it is at home." I told him.

"Oh." He stopped. "I brought a comb."

What the fuck? A comb? That boy is a genius. Really. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

Teddy spoke up for me. "What do we need a comb for?"

That got Vern talking about TV and looking good. Chris was talking to Gordie about how far, 20 or 30 miles, then we passed over this little bridge thing while Vern and Teddy argued over whether or not hitchhiking was pussy.

I swear to God, those two should marry. They fight like an old married couple all the time.

Anyway, by the time we reached some place with many hills and where its, like, super green all the time, I sort of fell back. I couldn't help but think about how the dead body of Ray Brower might snap something inside of me and, I dunno, break me? No, that sounds weird.

I mean, I'm not trying to compete with Gordie because is brother died in April. But…you know. I can't stop thinking about Valerie and all that I did to her. But I'm not going to complain about it. At least not to Chris and the others.

Chris yelled back, "Bia! You're favorite song!" But I didn't even know what song it was. I hadn't even been paying attention to anything they were doing.

Now that I looked, I realized I was super far back from the rest of them. I quickened my pace. I looked down for a second to make sure I didn't trip and what happens?

I run into Chris and almost fall on my ass.

"Sorry." I told him. Though I didn't feel sorry.

Wait, he ran into me and I'm apologizing?

"It's cool." He started walking with me. "What's up?"

"The sky." My voice was practically dripping in sarcasm.

Nice picture.

He grabbed my arm softly and tugged me to a stop. "No Bailey." He looked me in the eyes. "I mean with you." He was being serious.

"What are you, my father?" Holy cow did I sound bitchy. No wonder he thought something was wrong.

"I'm sorry Chris." I took a deep breath. "I'm fine. Really. Don't worry about me okay?"

He shook his head slowly. "You know I can't do that Bia. That's my job of the group."

"You are such a girl." I punched him playfully.

He kinda laughed as Teddy yelled back to us, "If you two are done sucking face, I'd like to move a little faster!"

Chris and I ran the distance and came up beside Gordie, Vern and Teddy.

We had walked a little while before Vern said, "Hey, I'm kinda hungry. Who's got the food?"

"Shit." Teddy cried.

"Did anyone actually bring food?" I asked. If not, then we were fucked.

"Not me. Gordie?" Chris asked.

He shook his head.

"This is great." Teddy yelled. "What are we supposed to do? Eat our feet?"

I giggled.

"Is this funny to you?" He asked.

"What you said is, yes. But you didn't bring any either I take it."

"Shit, this wasn't my idea, it was Vern's. Why didn't you bring anything?"

He tried to defend himself. "I brought the comb."

I almost giggled again, but Teddy looked pissed off. So instead, I said, "Let's just see how much money we do have okay? Everybody calm down! Jesus Christ."

We all took off our sleeping bags and/or backpacks. Gordie rounded up the change.

"Well, I have a dollar two."

I handed him my dollar.

Chris handed him 68 cents.

Teddy handed him 60 cents.

"7 cents Vern?" Gordie asked as we all looked at him like, _what the fuck_.

"…I haven't found my pennies yet."

Gordie said something about Quidachioluo's, and then Chris said the train was coming.

So we all got off the tracks except Duchamp. He was like, "I'm gonna dodge it."

Chris yelled, "Come on Teddy man. Get off the tracks. You're crazy!"

Teddy didn't even seem to hear him. "Train dodge," he mumbled. "Dig it."

The train was coming closer and Teddy still hadn't moved. I could feel myself shaking.

Finally, Chris ran and dragged him off the tracks, just seconds before the train ran over the spot where Teddy was.

While the train was passing, Teddy and Chris got into some fight. Gordie was holding Chris back and Vern was trying to hold back Teddy.

I tried to break it up, but I was elbowed hard in the eye. Tears formed almost instantly.

That's hard.

"Stop it!" I just kept repeating myself, getting louder each time. Even after the train passed us, I was still shouting. I feel to my knees, my throat and my eye hurt and I was out of breath. "Jesus." I mumbled.

"Shit." Teddy mumbled.

"Bailey, are you okay?" Gordie asked.

"As long as the fighting stops, then yes." I looked up at them.

"Look at your eye!" Vern cried.

I reached up and touch it. Chris and Teddy were off making peace. Gordie came over and brought his canteen. "Who got you?" He asked, unscrewing the top and handing it to me.

"I don't really know. I think it might have been Chris. But I'm okay."

"It's going to turn purple soon. Did it hurt?"

I took a sip of his water. "Tears came to me eyes almost instantly. But, hey, I gotta look cool now right? I mean, I gots a shiner."

He just laughed at me as Teddy and Chris came back over. Teddy just grabbed his stuff and started walking again. And we all followed suit. We were silent for a while, then Teddy got over his anger and we all started goofing off and whatnot.

"There's the junkyard." Chris pointed to a fence just in front of us.

"Let the fun begin." I mumbled as we came to the fence enclosing it in.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes:** Sorry chapter three took so long to put up. I've been swamped with Stage Crew and School and never found the time to post it. I apologize. Oh, and it seems like Gordie was gone for only, like, thirty seconds, so just imagine he was gone longer, kay? Thanks.  
**Warning:** Language and Violence.  
**Summary:** They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See chapter one  
**Reminder:** _**Please review! **_

* * *

I felt like I kinda over-reacted to Chris and Teddy fighting. But no one brought it up again, so I didn't either. 

As we came up to the fence surrounding the junkyard, Teddy said to Vern, "Hey Vern, looks like your mom's been out driving again."

Vern practically rolled his eyes and said, "That was so funny I forgot to laugh."

I laughed slightly at them, then Teddy started on his Army talk and we climbed over the fence.

And I am proud to say I did not rip my pants.

Go me.

"Teddy, stop!" I called to him after picking my stuff up. "You're acting crazy!" He just kept using his rolled up bag as a machine gun and shouted more Army nonsense. I hurried after him to make sure he didn't hurt himself.

"Here," he said at the pump. "I'll pump and you hold the canteens."

I blinked at him. "You are so bi-polar sometimes."

He did his crazy laugh. "That's why you guys love me."

Vern and I exchanged glances. "When did we ever say that we loved you?"

"Oh God. Oh Jesus." He put his hand to his heart. "That really, really hurts."

We laughed as Chris and Gordie came racing past.

After we pumped new water for everyone's canteen, we sat in the shade and started throwing rocks at some old can Chris found.

It was pretty quiet until Teddy said, "You guys been watching _The Mickey Mouse Club _lately?"

We all said we had.

Then Teddy smirked and said, "I think Annette's tits are getting bigger."

I gagged on my water. "Oh Jesus Christ Teddy. Sick."

There was a pause. Then Chris said, "Think so?"

I punched him. "Come on guys."

"I think he's right. I've been noticing lately that the A and the E are starting to bend at the sides."

"Annette's tits are great."

I covered my ears. "I'm not listening, I'm not listening. You guys are pervs and I'm not gonna listen."

They all started laughing at me.

"This is really a good time." Vern said, still laughing slightly.

"The most." Chris agreed.

"A blast." Teddy added.

They all started squirting water at the can. Teddy turned and squirted Vern.

"Great! Spit at the fat kid, real good."

I found that hilarious. These are the times that should never end. Just me and my friends, together, being dumb asses. Those times that just stay with you…mean something.

I calmed down a little. "What time is it Gordie?"

He checked his watch and said it was quarter after one.

"We better get the food." Chris said.

Teddy nodded. "Yeah, this place opens at 3. Chopper'll be here."

"Sic balls." Chris added.

"At least one of us will be safe." I mumbled.

They all laughed at that.

When did I become so funny?

"You can go." Teddy told Vern. "You can pick us up on your way back."

They all spent a few minutes arguing until we had to flip for it.

It was all tails.

A goocher.

Which of course meant Vern had to go on a five-minute freak out about how it was a bad omen or something.

I finally kicked him in the shin and told him to shut it.

We flipped again and Gordie had to go.

Teddy started gloating. "Gordie loses! Gordie just screwed the pooch!"

Gordie looked all serious when he replied with, "Does the word _retarded _mean anything to you?"

Teddy just laughed some more. "Just go get the provisions you morphodite!"

"Don't call me any of your mother's pet names."

"What end you are Lachance."

"Shut up!"

**"I don't shut up. I grow up. And when I look at you I throw up!"** That never gets minutes old.

Gordie said something but we were all laughing to hard to hear what it was. The next time I looked up, he was gone.

After a few, we calmed down.

"So…school started Wednesday." Vern stated.

I put my head on knees. "Do you guys think we'll always be like this?"

"What do you mean?" Chris asked.

I sighed. "You know. Like the five of us. Together…forever…"

"Forever's a really long time." Teddy said.

"Why?" Vern asked.

I opened my mouth to say one thing, but then I changed my mind and shrugged. "Just thinking."

We then heard a bang and someone swear.

"Shit! Old man Milo's early!" Teddy cried.

"Run!" Chris said and we grabbed our stuff and started hoping the fence.

Then we saw Gordie.

And so did Chopper and Milo.

Chopper started going after Gordie, so we all kept yelling stuff like "Gordie, run!" and stuff like that till he finally cleared the fence.

The Teddy started mocking Chopper, which caused Fat Lard Ass Milo to come over and yell at us. It was all okay until he said, "Don't call me that you little tin weasel. Peckerwood loony's son."

Everyone stopped. "What did you call me?" Teddy looked super pissed.

And Milo kept it up, even after Teddy jumped on the fence and screamed, "_I'm gonna rip your head off and shit down your neck!_ I'm gonna kill him!"

Chris had finally started pulling him away when Teddy finally yelled, "My father stormed the beach at Normandy! He stormed the beach, you faggot!"

We finally had got him away, though he was still crying. I felt bad for him. Milo was just a big asshole who needed a good ass beating.

"He ranked my old man. He ranked my old man." Teddy just kept repeating himself.

"Screw that fat ass Teddy!" I told him.

The others tried to comfort him, but he told us just to forget it. I squeezed his hand gently and he seemed to be calming down. He would have been okay if the others had let it go.

He had to tell them to forget it again. We were all silent until Vern started singing.

We all looked at him until he got the message and stopped.

Then Teddy stopped walking to apologize. "I'm sorry if I'm spoiling everybody's good time."

We all nodded. Then Gordie said, "I'm not sure it should be a good time."

Chris looked extremely pissed when he said, "You saying you wanna go back?"

"No." Gordie had no tone in his voice. "But going to see a dead kid…maybe it shouldn't be a party.

Then Vern started on how gross he would look and Chris told his to shut the hell up.

Vern apologized and we continued.

* * *

**Additional Note:** If you read the chapter, review. Just say. "Hey, I liked it." or "Hey, I thought it was crap." You don't even have to say hey. But if you took the time to read it, you can take the time to review.  
Thank you 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes:** In complete honesty, it's been a while since I read this chapter. So if there are mistake, I apologize. I barely remember typing this chapter, so go from there hehe…he…  
**Warning:** Language and Violence.  
**Summary:** They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
**Disclaimer:** See Chapter One  
**Reminder**:

* * *

__

After a while, Teddy became Teddy again and he and Vern started dancing down the tracks. I could not help but laugh. We all tried to be tough, but we had our secrets that could break us.

What I found ironic is that we would laugh and make fun of the others when they weren't hurting or whatever, to make them hurt or cry. But as soon as they were, we were there for each other.

See? Funny.

I looked back at Gordie and Chris. They were talking about one thing or another. I couldn't hear them. But Gordie looked upset, so I just went over to where Teddy and Vern were talking about whether or not Mighty Mouse could beat up Superman.

"Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. Superman is a real guy."

"Most TV is fake." I told him.

"Superman's real." He glared at me.

"Then why when Ace and Eyeball are messing with us does he never come?"

"Because he's busy doing something else! Maybe he was sleeping! Jesus Christ Bailey. You can be such a girl sometimes." Teddy looked pissed.

This was fun. "No, I just like to make you mad. It's my hobby."

Teddy just glared at me again. I couldn't help but smile. "You're serious face isn't that serious."

He shook his head. "Do you enjoy causing me pain?"

"That's my second hobby."

Vern laughed.

What the hell?

I was being serious.

Then we turned back and saw that Chris and Gordie were even farther back.

"Hey ladies!" I yelled. "Let's get moving!"

"Yeah, by the time we get there, the kid won't be dead any more!" Teddy called.

"Don't say that." Vern said.

"Ooh, Night of the Living Dead."

Vern shivered. "Don't say that."

By that time they had caught up to us and we had to stop teasing Vern. From the look on his face, if we had continued, Chris would have told us to shut the hell up. If we hadn't listened, he would have hit us. Well, he would have hit Teddy. Chris Chambers knew not to hit a girl, though others wouldn't have ever believed it.

We continued to walk for a while, every once in a while one of us would some something random. The only thing I really remember is Teddy saying, "Women blink twice as much as men."

"Where did that come from?" I asked.

He just shrugged. We didn't question him any farther about it.

We kept that up until we hit another bridge. Only this one was about 20 feet long and 100 feet off the ground.

"Anyone know when the next train is due?" I asked, looking around at them.

No one knew.

Chris then said that maybe we should go down to the Route 136 bridge, but that idea was shot down immediately by Teddy.

"While you guys are dragging your asses halfway across the state and back, I'll be relaxing with my thoughts on the other side."

There was a pause, then Gordie said, "Do you use your left hand or your right hand for that?"

"You wish." Teddy said easily. "You walk 5 miles down the river, you gotta walk 5 miles back. That'll take till dark. We go across here, we could get to the same place in 10 minutes."

I nodded in agreement. "It's good logic. And if the train comes, we either run like pussies, or we jump."

"It's 100 feet!" They looked at me as if I was crazy.

I shrugged. "When you hang around Teddy for a long time, you begin to think like that. But, we're wasting time. Just walk really fast and you won't get hit." And I started walking across the bridge, followed by Teddy, the Chris, then Vern, then Gordie.

Halfway across, Vern lost what dignity he had left and started to crawl on all fours.

We were a little past the ¾ mark when we heard Gordie yell, **"TRAIN!!"**

"Fuck!" Teddy yelled as we started running like hell.

"Move it man. Do it! Go on! Run!"

We could barley hear Gordie yelling at Vern. In those few moments where Chris, Teddy and I were safe off the tracks and Vern and Gordie were still running for their lives, I was shaking, I was screaming and I almost cried.

Thank God Gordie grabbed Vern and they jumped off the tracks and landed on the hill beside it as the train went by.

After the small train had gone by, Chris smirked and said. "Hey, at least we know when the next train was due."

We all just looked at him.

"Come on." I held my hands down to help the boys up. "We have to go a few miles more before we can stop for the night." They both got up and we continued to follow the tracks.

Two hours and 5 miles later, we stopped to make camp. I went off with Gordie to collect firewood.

"It's a good thing you warned us about the train." I told him.

"Yeah. I guess," he replied sadly.

I bent down to pick up some sticks as I said, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"Gordon, you are lying through your teeth. Is it Brower? Are you afraid seeing him will snap something inside of you and…break you?"

I hate that stupid sentence. But it gets my point across.

He nodded slowly. "How did you know?" He looked at me.

I bent down to collect more stick when I said, "Because I feel the same way. I'm just not as open about it as you are."

He nodded again, "But-"

He was cut of by Teddy's insane laugh and Vern yelling at him.

We got a few more branches and walked back to camp.

"That was the all-time train dodge. Too cool." Teddy laughed again.

"So on the way back you better not try it again!" I whacked him with a stick.

He threatened me with a stick he grabbed from the piled, then turned to Vern. He started poking fun at him while we ate.

Night fell quickly after that. Chris dug in his bag and pulled out his dads **Winston's** and passed one around to each of us.

After we had been quiet for a few moments, Teddy said, "I cherish these moments." Chris, Gordie and I laughed. Teddy looked confused and Vern looked at us like we would fill him in on the joke.

Now that I think back, I think we were all a little hard on him. Just because he was the youngest and most vulnerable boy didn't give us a reason to pick on him did it? Maybe it did.

I mean, why pick on him because he's younger? No one picked on me because I _was_ the youngest or the only girl. No one picked on Chris because he was the oldest. No one picked on Gordie for being the second oldest or Teddy for being the third oldest.

Not fair?

Totally.

After we smoked, Gordie told us a story about some kid named Lard Ass and a pie eating contest.

When it was over, we all told him it was great, because it really was. Only Teddy said, "It's a great story Gordie. I just don't like the ending." Then he exchanged glances with Chris and they both smirked.

"Guess what time it is?" Chris turned and smiled at me.

"Time for bed? Yeah, I thought so too. Good night." I tried to get away but Teddy grabbed me around the knees and pulled me back down.

"Truth or Dare time." He laughed like the crazy man he is.

"Damn. Why is it every time we do things like this, we have to play this stupid game?"

"'Cause." Chris said.

"God, I hate you guys." I mumbled angry under my breath. Then I sighed. "Fine, I'll play. But I ask first."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes:** I'm so sorry for the lack of update-age. Forgive me? As for this chapter, don't kill me for the mistakes if there are any. This chapter was done a long time ago. And as for the little gun moment, I needed something to fill up page space as well as show the relationship between Chris and Bailey.  
**Warning:** Language and Violence.  
**Summary:** They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
**Disclaimer:** See chapter one.  
**Reminder**:

* * *

__

"Deal." Chris said.

I thought for a moment.

"Are you going or not?" Teddy said.

I smirked. "Truth or Dare Teddy?"

"Dare!" he looked excited.

I knew he would say that. "Go do a handstand against that tree and sing _Mary Had A Little Lamb_ three time in a row."

"What? That's so babyish!"

"GO!" I yelled at him.

He mumbled to himself as he did the dare.

"That was…mean." Chris said sarcastically.

I laughed. "I just did it so he would shut up for longer than three seconds. Worked, didn't it?"

After Teddy was done, he came back over and he questioned Vern, who questioned Gordie, who questioned Chris, who questioned me.

"Truth or Dare?"

Without thinking, I just said, "Truth." Then I heard what I had said and tried to switch, but Chris just asked his question.

"Did you ever like any of us? I mean _like like_, not just like?"

"What the hell? Sure, ask me because I've matured faster," I muttered.

I thought for a moment.

"Sure." I told them.

They all made little baby noises. "Who?" Vern asked, looking hopefully.

I shrugged. "I dunno. All of you at special times I guess. Don't ask me anything specific because I can't tell you." I looked at Chris. "Good enough?"

He nodded.

We played for about half an hour more before we began talking about things the seem important before all you can think about is the opposite sex and school.

I can't tell you word for word what we said that night. But parts of that talk will never leave me. This is where I wanted to be forever. Just me and my boys, talking like there's no world around us. A place where anything goes and you speak your mind. Where age and sex don't matter. We're best friends. And nothing, we felt, could ever change that. This whole journey would be a silent bond that kept us together forever.

About an hour later, we spread our stuff out and went to sleep.

We were only asleep an hour at the most when we heard howling.

"Oh my God." Vern said.

Teddy didn't even have time to put his glasses on before he started to tease Vern. Then he jumped up and tried to go find _The Ghost of Ray Brower_. But after there was more howling, he fell down and stayed down.

"What do you think it is?" Gordie asked quietly.

"It's probably coyotes." Chris answered.

After the howling ceased for the time being, Vern said, "Maybe we should stand watch."

We agreed. Teddy held his hand out. "Give me the gun-"

I choked. "Great idea." I said sarcastically.

They all gave me looks.

"I'll take the first watch."

Chris handed him the gun and we all laid back down as Teddy went to some tree and started his watch.

I was almost asleep when I heard Teddy say, "2300 hours. Corporal Teddy Duchamp stands guard. No sign of the enemy. The fort is secure."

"Shut up Teddy!" I remember yelling with the others.

There was a pause, then there was a low _'Do, do, do. Do, do, do.'_

"If I have to get up, I'm kicking your ass!" I warned him.

"The dog faces rested easy in the knowledge that Corporal Teddy Duchamp was protecting all that was dear to them."

After that, I fell asleep.

I dreamt about Valerie that night. The night the police came to our door. And when the police come and knock on your door at midnight, it's never a good sign.

Everything was the same until my mother and the cops all turn to me and said at the same time, _It's your fault. It should have been you._

At that, I jerked awake and kind of yelped like a dog being beaten.

Pathetic, I know.

Well, anyway, Teddy was passing me just as I woke up.

"Are you okay?" He whispered.

I coughed. "I'm…I'm fine. Why?"

He sighed and gave me a _look_. "Well, for one you were mumbling in your sleep. Two you just woke up like someone hided you and three." He pointed to my face. "You're crying."

I felt my cheeks. They were wet. I wiped my eyes quickly. "I'm fine really. Bad dream."

He nodded and went to wake Vern up for his turn at guard.

I rolled over and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I listened to Vern aim at every little sound for 2 ½ hours before he woke Chris up for his turn.

Gordie woke up yelping the same way I did and I heard him talk to Chris for a while.

After they talked for oh…an hour maybe, Gordie went back to sleep. By that time I was super awake, so I got up and sat by Chris.

He looked at me surprised. "Why are you up?"

I shrugged. "I've been up since Vern took guard. Bad dream." I nodded towards his face. "You've been crying."

His eyes widened slightly. "Did you hear all that?"

I nodded.

"Do you think I'm a pussy?"

"Of course not! People need to cry sometimes you know. You don't have to be the _bad boy _all the time. You can have feelings."

He laughed slightly. "Yeah." Pause. "Sure."

I just shrugged. We sat in silence for a while. Not the uncomfortable silence that most people go through. It was like we were communicating without words.

That sounded weird, didn't it?

I thought so too.

"Are you all right?" I asked him.

"It's not fair you know? Just because I come from a bad family and may have done some bad things in my life doesn't mean I'm a bad person."

"I know you're not a bad person. Gordie knows that. Even Teddy and Vern know that. And one day others will see it too."

He started again. I hated to see him like that. I did.

"Shh, come on, don't." I said softly, taking his hand.

"It's not fair. It's just not fair. This stupid reputation'll follow me forever and most of it's not even my fault!"

I squeezed his hand. "Then don't let it bother you so much. Just kick reality in the neck and say _'This is who I am. Like it or not.'_"

He did this laugh-sigh combo. That's better.

"You say that all the time."

I smiled. "But in gym doesn't count. Girls are wimpo's. They need to learn to be fierce."

"Like you?"

"Heck yes," I looked at him. "Feeling better?"

"A little."

I removed my hand from his. "Good." I took the gun from his hand. "Go to sleep. I'm up now. I can take the rest of your shift."

"You sure?"

"If I wasn't then I wouldn't have said it."

He laughed.

Why is it that when I'm being serious, I'm funny, but when I'm trying to be funny, no one cares?

Life's just weird like that.

Chris went off and fell asleep.

About two hours later, I could feel myself falling asleep and I guess I must have put the gun to my head. But the gun was practically falling out of my hand and my finger wasn't actually on the trigger, but it must have looked like I was going to blow my brains out because I heard someone practically yell, "Bailey?"

I jumped and turned towards Chris.

He was looking at me so hard it was like he was trying to see into my soul. It kinda frightened me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He came over and jerked the gun away from me.

What the hell?

"What? My finger wasn't on the trigger you know." God, I wasn't doing what he thinks I was doing…

…or was I?

I didn't think so.

"Then why was the gun to your head?"

"I wasn't going to blow my head off. I was just tired. My finger wasn't even _on the trigger_."

He came over and sat next to me.

"Bia?" He was looking at me the same way.

"Hmm?" I broke the eye contact and blinked a few times.

"What were you really doing?"

"I'm telling you the truth Chris. I wasn't planning on killing myself. Besides, it was the side of the gun. If it had gone off it woulda hit a tree or something."

He narrowed his eyes at me. I must have been talking really fast because he looked at me and said, "Are you sure you're okay?"

I looked at him and quickly nodded. "Of course. I'm fine. Never better."

He shook his head. "Now you're lying, so stop and tell me the truth."

Oh Jesus, he sounded really mad. But I knew he hated being lied to, and I pushed that button. I had to tell him the truth now…well, what he thought to be the truth.

I looked at him for a moment, then stuttered, "I…I…" I sighed and tried again. "I thought I could handle this but I can't. I tried to pretend like I could do this because I knew one of you would make fun of me for it but…it's getting to me. I'm sorry." I wiped my eyes. This was no time to cry.

Chris put his arm around my shoulders, just like he would have done for anyone. I couldn't help but smile because if anyone besides the guys ever saw this they would spread rumors about us being together.

Rumors are so dumb.

"I knew something was wrong, you know? But you're not like the guys. You don't just come right out and say it. And it's not like I can force you like I can with the others." He looked down at me.

I wiped my eyes again. "I know. I spent so much time trying to pretend I was tough like you all were I guess I lost that girly part of me that…_likes_ to show emotions. But now that I see that you guys may have emotion after all, maybe it'll come back."

He nodded. "Maybe."

Just then the freight train rolled by and everyone else got up as Gordie came back from wherever Gordie likes to go.

We packed up our stuff and continued on our way.


	6. Chapter 6

Notes: I know its been a while since the last chapter. I'm sorry for that. As usual, ignore the mistakes. And I won't be home for 2 weeks, so enjoy this chapter until then!  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See chapter one  
Reminder: **PLEASE REVIEW**

* * *

We walked for almost an hour before we stopped and looked down this giant hill.

"Gentlemen-"

I coughed rudely.

Chris sighed. "And lady."

I nodded. That was acceptable.

"The Royal."

I looked down the tracks along with the others.

It hit me then that we did a lot of things in sync. People probably think we practice or something.

"If we follow the tracks, it'll take a pretty long time. If we cut across the field it'll take us an hour, tops." I looked around at the guys.

"I think we should stick to the tracks." Vern said, looking at us.

"I say we go across the field." Teddy said.

They always seem to be fighting, even if they never knew it.

Chris nodded in agreement. "Gordie?"

Gordie didn't even look our way. "Yeah."

"Bia?" He turned to me.

I didn't want to go across the field. I wanted to waste as much time between now and seeing his body.

I sighed. "It doesn't matter."

"Let's go!" Chris said. And they started down the hill.

I took one last look at the tracks and I followed behind them. Teddy was shouting more Army lingo as Vern complained about the tracks behind us.

The next time I turned around to see if he was actually still with us all I saw was him falling.

It wasn't as funny as it usually was.

After we all got down the hill and all got back together, we continued through the woods.

There was mud everywhere. Our feet sank at least a foot in it.

Guess we'd have to get new shoes after this, huh?

"I hate this short cut." Vern complained.

I almost yelled at him to shut up.

Almost.

"I hate this shortcut." Teddy mocked.

"Guys-" I was going to say something, but it seemed pointless. Why should I care if they beat the living hell out of each other?

Besides the fact that they were two of my best friends that is.

Vern faked out punched Teddy and he flinched.

Vern started laughing hysterically. "You flinched! Two for flinching!"

Teddy punched him twice in the arm.

Vern rubbed his arm while saying, "But…_you_ flinched!"

Teddy nodded, with his evil smile on his face. "I know. Two for flinching."

I couldn't help but say, "Fair. Very fair."

"It is!" Teddy exclaimed.

I just shook my head as we continued on. None of us said much. We were all thinking about that same thing. I know we were.

I was worried. I won't lie. The closer we were to the body of Ray Brower, the farther away I wanted to be.

We took a small break after getting through the mud. I took a deep breath. Chris caught my eye from where he was, talking with Gordie. He gave me a slight smile.

I returned the gesture only half-way.

After a few more minutes, we continued. We hadn't been walking long when we came to a mini swamp type thing.

"Now what?" I asked. I sounded bitchy, but I didn't care. Walking through the thick woods cut up my face. Though it wasn't too bad, it stung.

Chris grabbed a stick and poked it through the water to see how deep it was.

"Hey, you know, it's not that deep. We can walk across."

"It can't be worse than the mud." Gordie claimed.

We started to walk across. We got about a foot in when we all fell under at the same time.

But I swear, we don't practice the 0_same time_ thing.

We came up and spit out water. "Great." I mumbled.

"Told you we should have stuck to the tracks." Vern spit more water out.

Teddy turned to him real slow. "Is it me…" Pause. "Or are you the worlds biggest pussy?"

"I suppose this is fun for you."

"No." Smirk. "But this is."

And he dunked him. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Come on Teddy. Grow up. Act your age." I told him after he was done.

"This is my age! I'm in the prime of my youth and I'll only be young once!"

Chris butted in. "Yeah, but you're gonna be _stupid_ for the rest of your life."

I laughed at that as well.

Then Teddy lunged at Chris and they started some water dunking war as Gordie and I tried to escape it.

I was almost out when I felt hands on my waist and suddenly I was being flipped backwards.

The water burned my nose and I came up coughing.

"You are such a bitch Duchamp!"

But they didn't hear me because they were too busy with Gordie.

I swam over just in time to hear Teddy yell, "Leeches!!!"

We all scrambled over each other to get out of the water. The next thing I knew, I was standing in my bra and underwear and looking at the biggest damn leeches ever.

And they hurt too. They were slimy and they were so gross to pick off. Vern had to get the ones off my back for me.

Then Gordie got one off his…well…_private area _and fainted.

After he got up and we made sure he was okay, we began dressing again.

Teddy then stopped and turned to me. "When did you start wearing a bra?"

Rude much?

"Uh…why does it matter again?" I snapped.

He gave me a look.

"Last June okay! Jesus Christ, it's not a big deal." I went to my stuff and worked on re-rolling it.

We were on re-rolling Chris' when he said, "Maybe we should take him back.

Teddy freaked out at that.

Could anyone want to see a dead body that badly?

They started fighting…_again_, when Vern stepped in, voicing his going back opinion.

Then Vern and Teddy started fighting.

Jesus Christ. How is it we can stay friends when it seems like all we ever do is fight?

Chris tried to break it up when we heard Gordie scream, "**Stop it!!**"

"I'm not going back." he whispered before grabbing his stuff and storming away.

Even if we hadn't followed him, I think he would have went on alone.

We had only walked about a half an hour when we stopped and Gordie asked, "Teddy? This the Back Harlow road?"

When Teddy nodded, I knew I couldn't go back now.

None of us could.


	7. Chapter 7

Notes: It took my 2 weeks, but Chapter 13 is finished. I'm very proud of myself. As for this chapter, it combines the end of the movie/book and the beginning for MY story. And I apologize for not updating the day I got home, but I wanted Chapter 13 done first.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: **IF YOU READ, PLEASE REVIEW**

* * *

"Teddy, you and Vern take the right side, me and Gordie will take the left and Bia can go up the middle and make sure we didn't miss him."

How can you miss a dead body?

"Right." And they started looking for Brower's body.

I just walked up the center staring straight ahead. At least if the body would have been in the middle, I woulda seen it.

I really didn't want to see it.

Ray Brower wasn't even a person anymore. He was just an **it.**

But I didn't want to see the body. I really, _really_ didn't want to. It was just then that I was hit with this power feeling. I didn't want to be here. I shouldn't be here. _We_ shouldn't be here. We were only twelve for God sakes! 12 year olds shouldn't walk 2 days to find a dead body! This was crazy! I should be at home, safe and sound in my bed. Or up in the tree house playing Skat, or Poker, or Go Fish, or anything. But not looking for a dead body.

"I see him! Look, I see him!" Vern shouted.

While everyone else ran to see, I got sick. My stomach was cramping up and for a second I couldn't breathe, but I got myself together and hurried over to the boys.

None of us moved after that. None of us could breathe. Somewhere under those bushes was the rest of Ray Brower.

Chris pushed through the guys and went to the body. We followed behind him. He grabbed a stick and pushed the branch away from Brower's face.

The train had knocked Ray Brower out of his Keds just like it had knocked the life out of his body. The kid wasn't sick. The kid wasn't sleeping. The kid was dead.

"We should build him a stretcher out of long sticks." Chris mumbled.

If it had been any other time, I would have said something sarcastic like, _'And hold it together with what? Bazooka?'_ But it wasn't like any other time. We started to go look for long sticks when we heard Gordie say softly, "Why did you have to die?"

I knew he didn't mean Brower. I knew he meant Denny.

"What's wrong with Gordie?" Teddy asked.

Chris just told us to look for more branches and he went to talk to him. The next time I looked, Gordie was crying. I knew how he felt.

After a few minutes, we heard a familiar voice say, "What the fuck do you know about this?"

"Son of a bitch! My little brother!"

It was Ace and Eyeball.

How could life get any worse?

Chris told them to just leave. Then he started to argue with them about the body. And all I could think was, _I'm gonna die._

Happy thoughts.

"There are five of us Eyeball, just make your move." Teddy said, trying to be all tough.

And all I could think was _Don't encourage him Duchamp!_

Just then Billy Tessio and Charlie Hogan and the other Cobras came.

"Vern you little son of a whore!" Charlie exclaimed. "You was under the porch!"

Vern then…ran away.

"You have two choices." Ace told us. "You leave quietly and we take the body or you stay and we beat the shit out of you…and we take the body."

"Besides!" Charlie Hogan interrupted. "Me and Billy found him first!"

"Yeah, Vern told us how you found him. _'Oh Billy, I wish we'd never boosted that car! Oh Billy, I think I just turned my _Fruit of the Looms _into a fudge factory!'"_

I couldn't help but laugh silently at that. But that was the wrong thing to do.

"You think this is funny?" Ace looked like he wanted to kill me.

I glared at him. "Maybe I do."

He sighed angrily. "Okay you little faggots, this is your last chance. So what do you say?"

I was so mad, I cut Chris right off and said, "You mean besides you're ugly and after you were born your slut mama told everyone you were a mistake?"

He pulled out his switch blade. "You're dead."

"I dare you." I said through gritted teeth. "Nobody's taking him, especially not you."

He came towards me and Teddy tried to get me away. I think he ran away or something because he stopped.

Ace put the knife to my neck. I didn't flinch. I wasn't going to die giving him the satisfaction that I was scared.

A gunshot sounded and he cut my neck in surprise as he jumped back.

I looked and saw it was Gordie with Chris' fathers .45 in his hand. I didn't even know he went off.

Ace and the others looked scared. A knife against a gun? They weren't as stupid as they looked.

"What are you going to do, shot us all?" Ace smirked like he had won.

Gordie cocked the gun. "No Ace…just you."

They turned to leave as Ace pointed his knife at us and said, "We're going to get you for this."

"Maybe you will and maybe you won't."

_Jesus Christ Chris, you know they are going to get us someday. Don't encourage them to do it sooner!_

They all left.

Chris said something to Gordie as Teddy and Vern came back.

Gordie and Chris covered the body. I just stood there. I wasn't scared. I was just…frozen in time and space.

"Bailey?" I jumped.

"We're leaving now. We're gonna call the police when we get back okay?" Chris said. "He got you huh?"

I nodded. "It's not that bad, it'll stop in a few seconds."

And we left.

We walked in almost dead silence the whole way home. We walked through the night and we made it back just before 5 am on Sunday morning.

"Treehouse at noon?" I asked.

"Like normal." Teddy said, nodding.

But it wasn't normal anymore.

We all went our separate ways to unpack and check in.

I had somehow opened the cut on my neck and it began bleeding again as I walked to the treehouse around eleven. I had a bandage and some cream that I was planning on putting on once inside.

I did the secret knock and it opened. It was Chris.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I climbed in.

"Waiting. Thinking. Nothing." He shrugged and went back to his seat.

"You okay?" I asked opening the bottle of cream.

He shrugged again. "I guess." He nodded towards my face. "He got you pretty badly."

"Naw, I'll live." I held out the bandage. "Make yourself useful?"

He took the bandage and opened it before sitting next to me and putting it on.

"Thanks."

We sat around playing Slapjack until the others came.

We went to Vern's house because he was scared that someone would overhear us on the phone and we called the police about the body. We didn't tell them our names.

About two hours later someone knocked at the front door.

It was the police with Mr. and Mrs. Brower.

We spent the next two hours telling the police and the Brower's everything. Afterwards, the Brower's gave us a reward. 200 dollars each.

Vern almost cried.

After everyone left, I remember turning to Vern and saying, "You bury this, make two maps and keep one in the treehouse because if you lose this money, I will have to kick your ass."

We spent the next few hours hanging around doing random shit until around 8. Then I had to go.

"I'll see you guys Wednesday, or tomorrow or whenever okay?"

"First day of Junior High." Teddy nodded.

"Meet us in front of the school?" Gordie asked.

"Same as always." I opened the door. "Till whenever."

And I left.

I went home, put my money away, made myself dinner, watched TV, then went to sleep.

The next day came quickly and passed just as fast, same with Tuesday and finally Wednesday came and I walked to school to meet up with my boys to compare schedules.

I had one of them in each class, except for Gym and Home Economics. Which wasn't fair at all. I wanted to take Woodshop.

I am such a guy sometimes.

But a new school year had begun. We were in Junior High. And we couldn't go back now.

-(-)-

I glanced up at the English teacher waiting for an answer.

I had written almost 10,000 words, but it seemed like I had barely started when I was ending.

Ms. Martin gave an approving nod. "Very nice Ms. Warnock."

I smiled as I sat down. I was the first in our group to read about the Ray Brower story, so no one was bored of it yet.

On the first day of school, Ms. Martin had told us to write a 1,000 or more word essay on our summer. I had mine done by Friday. Now it was Monday, the due date.

Gordie leaned over and whispered, "That was really good. It was like I was there again."

"Thanks," I whispered back. "But I just told it. You're the storyteller. Yours will be great."

Teddy and Vern had nodded, showing they had liked it. The seat at the top of the group was empty. Chris wasn't at school. I couldn't help it, but for more than a few moments, I thought it might be because he didn't do his homework. I felt guilty just thinking about it.

Some prep chick from the View was reading hers when the door opened and Chris came in with a late pass.

It must have been from his mother.

He sat down in his usual seat and I whispered, "Where were you?"

"It was just my dad. Don't worry about it." He didn't even look at me.

I'm not even going to lie and say that didn't hurt.

The bell rang signaling the end of class and we all left quickly.

Chris and I walked to math together and sat in our usual seats near the back.

I looked over at him out of the corner of my eye. His face was in his typical _I hate the world and it hates me _face. He must have felt me looking because he looked my way. "What?" He snapped.

I blinked. What the hell did I do?

"Sorry," I said back angrily before facing forward.

"Bia…" I turned back to him.

"What?" I raised my eyebrows slightly.

"I'm sorry. It's just my dad was already drunk this morning and wouldn't let me leave. I had to sneak out Richard's bedroom window."

"It's okay." I whispered. "You comin' over after school then?"

He nodded. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah. We just have to be quiet or my mom'll wake up and pitch a fin."

He nodded again as class started.


	8. Chapter 8

Notes: Working on Chapter 15. I may just finish this one! So…um…I edited this one like crazy and so in some spots, it may be a little rough. For that, please forgive me.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder:

* * *

I walked over to the table where the boys were sitting and slammed my lunch down. "I hate all girl gym classes!"

I always complained about girls and gym. They were all afraid of the ball or something. It can't kill you…well…anything can kill you, but there's a 99 percent chance it won't.

They just squeal and run away. I'm the only aggressive one in that class. My team always wins.

Confidence booster.

But the boys, who have heard this complaint before, sighed and said the same thing they usually did. _High School means boy-girl gym._

High school couldn't come fast enough.

It was only the first Monday of the first school year in Junior High.

I'm going to go crazy.

"That." I took a sip from my milk. "And it should be against the law for Teddy to be in a Science classroom."

They all looked up at me, except for Teddy.

"What did he do this time?" Gordie asked.

"I didn't do anything!" Teddy tried to defend himself.

"He almost burned the room to a crisp, that's what he did."

Teddy mumbled under his breath

I laughed at him as a girl and two boys from the View walked by. They whispered something to each and looked at me. I could practically feel my smile slip off my face as I stared after them.

I didn't know why those stupid douche bags hated me. So what if I only had guys for friends and didn't dress totally like a girl? That was a stupid reason to hate someone.

Besides, they were myboys. Not _the _boys_**my**_boys. So I shouldn't care…

…but I did…

Chris snapped his fingers in front of my face. "Bia. Bia!"

I turned slowly towards him, but I didn't really see him. "What?"

"Ignore them. They're assholes." Teddy stated as he took another bite into his sandwich.

"Just forget it." I told them, suddenly not hungry anymore.

"All they want is to turn everyone into one of them." Gordie said.

"Forget it okay?" Why couldn't they just drop it, goddamn it?

"You're better then they are anyway." Chris told me.

"Forget it, Jesus Christ guys!" I hit the table as I stood up and stormed out of the lunch room and went to my locker to put my books away before Art.

I couldn't help but think that…maybe those stupid View kids were right. Maybe I should be more of a girl.

After all, I _was_ a girl. So it's only fair. I can't be a tomboy forever, can I?

I mentally kicked myself for thinking those stupid thoughts and left for the Art room.

I arrived and sat in my usual seat in the middle, left hand side. Gordie came in shortly after that.

"Sorry." He hadn't even sat down.

"It's fine." I paused and looked up at him. "You can sit down if you want. I'm not gonna hit you."

He did.

As class started, our teacher, Ms. Williams, had assigned a project on Wednesday. We got a new assignment every 3 days and by the end of the year, they all had to be done and neat or you got no credit.

The topic for this assignment was **LIFE**.

I decided to do the five of us in the treehouse playing cards for that. I had nothing else, and besides, it _was_ my life.

I thought it was turning out well too.

Just before class ended while I was about to put my stuff away, Gordie looked over and said, "That's really good."

"Tell me something I don't know." I smiled to show him I was only kidding.

"You could be a famous artist someday. Sincerely."

"Thanks. But, hey, if you ever write a book, you have to track me down and call me and make me do the cover page and whatever else."

He laughed. "Deal."

"Good."

But that was never happen. I'd never become a famous artist any day. But it was a fun hobby. I may start drawing more.

Gordie and I went to History and sat with Vern. Why does that class always seem to move so slowly?

Well, that class finally ended and I had to go all by myself to Home Economics while the guys went to Woodshop.

That's what I hated about this school. No matter what, girls are put in Home Ec., while the boys were put in Woodshop.

It sucks.

I took my normal seat in the back on the side closer to the door and took out my notebook. We had to finish our lesson on babysitting and what to do in case of an emergency.

Big thrills.

Suddenly Vanessa Closer sat next to me.

To fully understand my feelings, she was a View.

Okay, now you might understand.

I looked at her. "Can I help you with something?" Maybe if I'm nasty enough she'll go away.

"Do you have any girl friends?" She asked me.

I almost punched her.

"Can't say that I do. But, you know that. I see you whispering and pointing at me all the time."

"It's just so…" She struggled for a word.

_Don't hurt yourself._

"Weird that you hang around with only boys. Not to mention _those_ boys."

I slammed my hand on the table. "Make fun of my boys again and that'll be the last thing you ever do."

She looked like a doe caught in the headlights of a car and she went back to her friends. I smirked as class started.


	9. Chapter 9

Notes: I'm a paragraph away from finishing Chapter 15. Again with the errors, just ignore them as best you can. I'll hopefully update sooner with Chapter 10. But please enjoy.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder:

* * *

_When the night has come  
And the land is gone  
And the moon is the only light we'll see  
I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid  
Just as long as you stand, stand by me  
-Stand By Me, Ben E. King_

I was putting my books back in my locker and grabbing the ones I would need to do my homework when Chris came up to me. "Hey."

I smiled at him. My little spaz out at Vanessa Closer had put me in a better mood. "Hi. Are you still coming over?" I asked as I put my Math book in my bag.

He nodded.

I gave him a look. "Are you okay?" I put my History book in, then closed my locker and locked it.

He just started walking to the front door. "Chris!" I yelled when we got outside. "Chris, what is it?" I grabbed his arm.

"It's just…" He started while we walked to my house.

At least he's talking to me.

"We all see the way you look at the losers from the View."

I blinked and I think I started to blush. But I tried to go around it. "What do you mean?"

He put his arm around me. "Now I'm really confused." I told him.

"We just don't want to lose you to those idiots."

Was that all? I was excepting yelling, cursing, hitting, something, _anything_…but not that.

I laughed as I wiggled out from under his arm. I playfully punched him in the stomach. "Is that all? Chris, listen to me, you guys won't lose me. At least not to those View preppies. Besides, I told off Vanessa Closer today in Home Economics."

Chris looked obviously relieved. "What did she do?"

I smirked. "She pissed me off, that's what she did."

He chuckled and shook his head.

"But really, she was all like _'It's just so weird that you hang around with only boys. Not to mention _those _boys.'_ I almost ripped her a new one."

Chris gave me a look.

I looked away, then back at him again. _Now_ what? "What?"

He sighed.

That was never a good sign.

"Maybe…" He sighed again then stopped and turned to me.

I waited for him to go on.

"Maybe you should have other friends besides us guys."

"What the hell Chris? You just said you didn't want to lose me and now you're practically telling me to get lost. And besides, you only hang out with us, why don't you get new friends?"

I couldn't believe he had said that to me. I wasn't pissed off or anything, I was upset that he would think or say that. And Jesus Christ, didn't he just tell me they didn't want to lose me? What the hell? I mean, seriously!

That boy could confuse **anyone.**

He looked a little mad. "Because everyone else hates me."

"They don't hate you Chambers, they just don't know you."

"Since when do you call me Chambers?"

"Since when do you tell me to get new friends?"

We stood staring at each other before he said, "Look, I'm sorry okay?" He held his hand out.

I looked at him for a moment. "Fine." I skinned it. "It's hard to stay mad at you anyway…but never, _ever_, **EVER** bring that up again, got it?"

He nodded.

"Come on. We have homework."

He pretended he was in pain. "Don't say that word."

I laughed. "What?" I paused. "HOMEWORK?"

He fell to his knees and pretended to be dying. I couldn't help but laugh, even though it wasn't that funny. "Knock it off." I kicked him in the ass and ran for my life down the road. I looked behind me and Chris was gaining on me fast. I took a sharp left and my house was in sight.

There were only three ranch style houses in Castle Rock. Every other house was two stories or more. There was _Antique Plaza_, there was where old Mrs. Griffith lived, and my house. But I always hated big houses where you practically have to use a phone to talk to someone.

I was just about to the front lawn when, I'm guessing, Chris threw himself at me because he hit me and I fell then he fell on top of me.

For a moment or two we just kind of stared at each other. And for a split second, I almost leaned forward and kissed him. Only for a split second though. But, obviously that didn't happen. I don't even know why I got that urge anyway.

Besides, it's against the rules of friendship.

"Not that I don't enjoy your face being centimeters away from mine." I said sarcastically. "But, get this, you won't believe it, I actually _enjoy_ breathing, so shove off!" I pushed him away and sat up. "What did you have to tackle me for? A kick in the ass would have worked."

I stood up as he said, "I didn't mean to hit you that hard, are you okay?"

We walked up the walkway to the front door. "You must have me mistaken for a pussy. I'm fine." I made a gesture to be quiet as we entered the house and went straight to my room and closed the door.

We started our homework. I had to help Chris with some of our math problems. But he still finished his homework before I did, so he sat around and went through my stuff until 6, which was when my mom left for work. I remember hearing the door slam. That was when Chris turned to me. "I'm hungry."

I had a few more questions left. I looked up and pointed to the door. "You know where the Macaroni and Cheese is." That was his favorite food.

"I have to make it?"

I nodded like he was a retard for not knowing. He mumbled about something, then went to start cooking.

A few minutes later I was done. I took out one of my drawings and preceded to finish it.

About ten minutes later, Chris came back in with two bowls and two forks and handed one to me.

"What are you doing?" He ate a mouthful of macaroni.

"Drawing." I went back to the sketch.

"Oh yeah, Gordie told us about it."

I turned to him. "When?"

"Today in Woodshop."

"Cool…do you wanna see it?" I asked nervously.

Gordie was the type of person that says things to make you feel good, Chris says things flat out, good or bad.

"Sure." I handed it to him.

It was the five of us just after we had fallen into the water.

I was sorta proud of it.

Chris choked on his food. "This is great!"

I blushed. "I have others if you want to see them…"

"I do."

I just blushed deeper and pulled some other ones out from my drawer. One was of us on the tracks, one was us around the fire, one was us at the junkyard and the last one was of me and Chris against the tree together.

"These are really good." He said again.

"Thanks." I took them and put them back. "The one I'm working on for Art is just the five of us of in the treehouse. And one I started in my notebook during Home Ec is us standing facing the Royal standing in our usual poses."

"What are our usual poses?" He looked confused.

"Well, you know, most of the time when we stand, you have a hand on your hip, Gordie is perfectly straight, Teddy kinda slumps, Vern stands with his legs slightly spread apart and-"

He cut me off, "And you usually have your arms crossed."

I nodded. "Exactly."

"Why do you only draw us?"

I don't know whether or not he might that to be mean.

"I mostly draw in the middle of the night…I…I get nightmares about the weekend we went to find the body. But those are just outlines, I'm going to use them for Art projects so I can make them better."

Chris nodded.

We hung around until nearly eight. Then Chris decided he should probably go home.

"If you need to come back, just do our secret knock so I know its you okay?"

The guys, if need be, had a secret knock for my window that was different then the knock for the treehouse. It was something like _knock, knock, knock, knock, knock_. Pause. _Knock, knock._

Dumb, I know.

He nodded again then he left. I took a quick shower before climbing into bed and drifting off to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Notes: Yes, I needed to fill up more page space, so I did add in a hobby/obsession. Please do not be angry. As usual please ignore mistakes, I try my best. And on that note, I will be at Camp starting Sunday and tomorrow is my aunt's 50th wedding anniversary so I will not be able till I come home. So expect updates either on August 4th or the 6th. Thank you.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

* * *

_Whenever you call me, I'll be there  
Whenever you want me, I'll be there  
Whenever you need me, I'll be there  
I'll be around...yeah  
__-I'll Be Around, The Spinners_

The next day Chris didn't come to school. The day after that he came in with a slight bruise on his cheek and a deep scratch on his arm.

No one asked any questions.

We all knew.

Later that night Chris came to my window and I let him in.

That night he cried as he asked me, "What the hell did I do to deserve this?"

And I just held him as he cried. And I told him everything positive and wonderful that I could think of. I told him about his future and how someday he'll leave this stupid town behind him and make a name for himself.

A good name.

He left around midnight that night.

The next day at school we didn't talk about it. Not to each other, not to anyone. No knowing looks, no secretive whispers. It was almost as if it never had happened.

The next few weeks passed without anything interesting happening.

School was how it always is:

Tedious and annoying.

No one bothered me again about my boys and all that other crap.

That is, until the day I woke up late and had to rush so I could make it on time before the tardy bell rang.

In my mad rush, I put on what I assumed to be an old shirt of Teddy's he used to wear practically everyday.

I ran to school and I got there just in time to be talked to by the teacher about how not to make it a habit.

No one noticed anything until History, when some girl sitting by me asked, "Isn't that Teddy Duchamp's shirt?"

I turned to her and shrugged. "I think."

"Why are you wearing it?" She wrinkled her nose.

"That's none of your business, but if you must know, I like this shirt. And he left it at my house awhile ago. I have a shirt from all my boys."

"Isn't his father the loony up in Togus?"

That was a line she should **not** have crossed. I turned to Gordie and Vern and they had the same looks on their faces.

I glared at the girl along with them. I think her name was Rachel Michaels.

"Don't ever say that again." I told her.

"Or we might be forced to do bad things." Vern added.

Gordie nodded.

She got scared and went back to working, but not before moving her chair over a little.

Then Gordie reached over to looked at the tag in the back of the shirt and cried, "That's not Teddy's shirt, it's mine!"

I looked at him. "Really?"

He nodded.

I bent around to look at the tag. It said _Gordon Lachance._

"Oh." I said. "Well, will you look at that? Guess we threatened that girl for nothing. Opps."

Later while the five of us were walking home, Teddy turned to me. "Gordie and Vern told me how you guys stood up for my father."

Let me guess: in Woodshop.

I blinked at him. "Well, yeah. Why are you surprised?"

He shrugged. "I know you don't like it when I stand up for him myself."

"Teddy." I stopped. I wasn't sure how to put my thoughts into words. "I couldn't just let her get away with it. If you can stick up for him…so can I. Besides, you make it seem like I've never done anything nice for you."

I smiled at him before faking him out with a false punch.

He flinched big time.

I smirked and raised two fingers. "Two for flinching." I shrugged and nodded at Vern, who punched Teddy twice before running for his life.

As Teddy ran after him, he yelled over his shoulder, "It's a good thing you're female Warnock!"

I shrugged. His threat was empty.

"He's going to kill Vern now. You know that right?" Gordie asked as we followed their path.

"Probably." I turned down my street. "Notify me of Vern's death. Other than that, don't bother me." I waved before turning away and walking down Maple Avenue. I could still hear them yelling, though I couldn't make out the words.

I suddenly wondered what a normal life would be like. What about my life now would be different if I was…_normal…_

Evil word, I know.

I'd probably have a mother and a father. They'd probably work in the day and sleep at night like _normal_ people.

I'd probably be friends with just girls.

Chris and the gang would probably hate me.

...and I'd probably wouldn't have so many stuffed animals.

Yes, that's my obsession. Stuffed animals.

But I'm a girl, that's allowed.

I always sleep with this stuffed Polar Bear stuffy I got a really long time ago back in Pennsylvania. I named her Ice Berge.

I have a million others. When kids get older, they sell them really, really cheap, I can get, like, five for a penny.

The guys used to laugh about it, at me, tease me, all that good stuff. But they stopped after one of them accidentally tore the leg off of my Zebra named Bucky.

I almost cried.

They completely stopped after that.

And to make up for it, every year on my birthday they all buy me one or two, depending on how much money they have to pull together at that time.

Ha-ha, one year they didn't have enough, so they made me one. It was so God awful. Boys are the ones who need Home Economics.

But it was really thoughtful.

He sleeps on my bed. I call him (yes, I made **it** a _him_) Tidus. I don't know why either, so don't ask. I just really like that name.

When I got home, I went into my room and did my homework. After my mom left, I made myself dinner and went to work on my picture for Art. This 3-day theme was **LOVE**.

I was trying to draw a sunset or maybe it was a sunrise, but it didn't really look like it. I mean, if you knew what it was, you could see it, but it needed color.

I decided that tomorrow during Art I would ask for colored pencils or something to make it better.

Last 3-day theme was **AFTER**.

I started drawing us standing at the town entrance after the whole Ray Brower journey.

That one was okay, but not my best though Ms. Williams nearly cried when she saw it. She said it was one of the best pieces of art she had ever seen. She seemed convinced I would be an artist when I was older.

That would be a cool profession now that I think about it more. But it'll probably never happen.

I put the picture by my backpack so I would remember to take it with me tomorrow and crawled into bed. I put Ice Berge in the crook of my arm and turned the light off and rolled over before falling asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Notes: This is a slightly messed up chapter. And I would have updated on the 4th, but my Sweet 16 party was yesterday (even if my birthday isn't until the 31st) so I'm updating now. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you can. Again, ignore spelling/grammar mistakes.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

* * *

_Light the corners of my mind  
Misty water-colored memories  
Of the way we were  
Scattered pictures,  
Of the smiles we left behind  
Smiles we gave to one another  
For the way we were  
Can it be that it was all so simple then?  
Or has time re-written every line?  
If we had the chance to do it all again  
Tell me, would we? Could we?  
__ -The Way We Were, Barbra Streisand_

The next morning when I woke up I was all tangled up in my sheets. It took me a few minutes to get out, and by the time I got free, I was laughing super hard.

I got dressed and did my usual morning routine quickly and I had about twenty minutes left until I had to leave when I walked into the kitchen and saw my mother sitting at the table.

To completely understand my shock and/or confusion she worked as a Telephone Operator at _Castle Bell_. She worked nights. So, as Teddy once put it, she was a zombie mom. Sleep in the day, work at night.

I'd only admit this alone when I wouldn't be seeing anyone for a few hours at least, but I had convinced myself that she did that so she could see even less of me.

Valerie was always mom's favorite. I mean, it was common knowledge.

Anyway, I stepped into the kitchen and made myself a bowl of cereal before saying, "Hi mom."

She looked up at me from her coffee cup. "You're going to be late for school."

I ate another spoonful of cornflakes. "I don't have to leave for another fifteen minutes." _Munch, munch, munches._

"I saw the picture by the door. Did you draw it?"

I blinked at her. That was a surprise. She never really asked me anything about my life.

"Yeah, I did. Why?" More munching.

See, I learned something from years of conversation with my mother. Don't let her know she's getting to you or she'll keep going.

"Are you thinking about becoming an Artist?" She rinsed her coffee mug out before turning to me, a piercing look on her face.

I shrugged and continued munching. "Maybe." I said before swallowing. "Ms. Williams, the school art teacher, thinks I could make it. So do my boys."

That might have been a mistake.

Her eyes narrowed. "A woman's place should be at home."

I dropped my spoon. What the fuck?

"You work." I snapped.

"Your father is dead."

I couldn't stop myself in time before saying, "Really? Wow, never would figured that one out without help. Thanks mom."

"Unless, of course, you get with that Chris Chambers boy, then you'll have to work because by then he'll be a drunk." She started for her room.

I almost _broke_ my spoon. "Chris doesn't drink mom. None of us do."

She turned around. "He will eventually. Go on dreaming about becoming an Artist Bailey. Because that's all it'll ever be: a dream." And she slammed her bedroom door.

I was so mad. Who the hell did she think she was? No one else's mother talked to them like that. Parents should encourage dreams, not try to tear them down.

In such a frantic fury I ripped my sunset/sunrise picture again and again and again until finally, they were super tiny paper particles. I snatched my bag up and slammed the door on the way out.

I was full of anger now.

Great.

Thanks mom.

I punched every telephone pole I passed on my way to school. But I take a lot of back roads, so it wasn't too bad.

I had to suck the tiny bit of blood off my knuckles before I got to school because the guys were real quick to pick things like that up.

I walked into school and went to stop off at my locker. Chris was waiting there for me; he was leaning against my locker with his arms crossed. "Hey," he said.

I smiled at him. "We have to stop meeting like this. People will talk."

He laughed.

His laugh made me smile even more.

Did that sound weird?

"People talk anyway." He said as he moved out of the way and allowed me access to my locker.

I pulled out my English book and closed my locker before we walked to Homeroom together and sat in our usual seats.

Homeroom started- well, Homeroom is usually just like a half hour long study hall. Anyway, it started and the boys began whispering about some dumb boy thing or another and I began tapping my pen against my desk.

I read or heard somewhere that if you tap a pen or a pencil or anything else enough times, you can break a hole in reality.

That would be cool, but freaky.

But I wasn't trying to break reality. I was just bored.

I must have been doing that nonstop for about five minutes before Gordie reached over his desk and stopped me. "Not that we don't love the continuous tapping." I could tell that he, as well as the others, found it extremely annoying. "But Mr. Eckert is giving you the Evil Eye. You might want to stop." He moved his hand away.

"What do I do then?"

Have you ever suffered through such tremendous boredom that watching water drip is fun? Take that and multiply it by a million. Then you have me.

"Why don't you draw or something?" He suggested.

I almost choked on the pen that I was chewing on. That caused almost immediate depression.

I shook my head. "Naw, I don't want to." I began reading my English book.

"You always want to draw." He gave me a piercing look. All of this had drawn attention from the others.

If I had been the way I seemed to the world, you know, not giving two shits about what people said and doing my own thing, than I would have been working on my sunrise/sunset picture.

But, secretly, I wasn't like that at all.

"What's your point Gordie?" I snapped, now poking my notebook with the pen.

He shrugged. "It's just you always draw, and now you don't want to."

The guys looked like they wanted to say something, so I came up with the fastest lie I could think of. "I'm just not in the mood. Artists' block. You understand."

Thankfully they accepted and dropped it; I went back to poking my notebook.

Homeroom ended shortly after that. School went fine until Art. I made it seem like I was really trying. Ms. Williams fell right into my lie too. She even told me if I wanted to, I could sit outside because _'A change of atmosphere is good for the mind and soul.'_

I pretended she was making sense and she finally left us alone.

School slowly, but finally, ended. When I got home my mother was still asleep. I put off my homework until she left and went outside on our porch and did it. For early November, it was nice out.

Though it wouldn't be for long.

After I finished my homework, I went back inside and wandered around looking for something good to do.

I finally sat down with a book I found under my bed and read it until I couldn't keep my eyes open and went to bed.


	12. Chapter 12

Notes: Chapter Twelve. Hooray! I may just finish this story! I would have uploaded last night, but High School Musical 2 was on. I'm sorry. The next chapter is definitely the _WHAM!! never saw it coming_ chapter. But I hope You like this one. It was a 'leading to the next' type.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_No more pencils  
No more books  
No more teacher's dirty looks  
Well we got no class  
And we got no principles  
And we got no innocence  
We can't even think of a word that rhymes  
-Schools Out, Alice Cooper_

_The rest of the school year went by slowly with nothing really worth mentioning, but it finally ended._

_Thank God, you know?_

_One step closer to High School (which means no more Home Ec. and all-girls gym!)_

_My boys and I were still as close as before, possibly closer._

_Possibly._

_I passed Art if that's what you're thinking. I didn't really draw anything though. I found out there were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of ways to pass Art._

_Gordie asked me about it once. The topic for that 3-day period was __**FREEDOM**__. I had taken construction paper, ripped it into a bunch of tiny pieces, and was gluing them to a piece of white poster board when Gordie turned to me all calm-like and said, "You haven't drawn anything in almost five months."_

_It actually took me a moment to realize he was talking to me. _

_Weird, I know._

_I turned to him. "And your point is…"_

_Looking back, I realized I sounded cold. There was Gordie trying to be nice and I had to be a bitch._

_Ha, some friend._

_"Are you okay?" He asked, his eyebrows coming together as if he would know if I was lying or not._

_Others around us who may have heard that may have thought it was just a simple question from one friend to another. But I know now that he meant it to hit deeper. _

_Make any sense?_

_I didn't think so. But it's hard to explain._

_Some of the most important things are the hardest to say._

_I opened my mouth to say one thing, and: "I'm fine. Really. Don't worry about me." Came out._

_What kind of friend am I if I can't even say, _'My mother hates me and wants me to live an awful life and die a horrible death'?

_A kind that doesn't want to worry her friends._

_That kind._

_"I just haven't been in the mood to draw. I just don't feel like it anymore." I told him._

_I could hear this little voice in my head singing that stupid 'Lair, lair, pants on fire…' song._

_Gordie looked as if he had heard it too. The look on his face told me he figured I was lying. But he never brought it up again. And he never told the guys either._

_On the other hand, if he did, they never said anything._

_ANYWAY! Like I said, school ended._

_We were all thankful for that._

_Yes, well school ended...where to go on from there..._

_Okay, never mind, I know._

&♥ - - »

"No more school!" Teddy shouted on the walk home on the last day of school.

I twirled around as I threw ripped notebook paper in the air and spun around in them again, getting them all over me. I started to sing, _"No more teachers, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks!" _I did some silly little dance before I threw more paper in the air and did some odd jump-twirl thing. I giggled some more and turned to the boys. "Only one more year until High School."

"Guess we don't have to ask if you're excited." Gordie said.

I gave him a **DUH** look. "Are you an R-tard?" I twirled again. Then I stopped and fell back into step with them again. "Okay, I'm done this time. Sincerely." I had done that twirl-jump-spin-twirl thing all the way from school and kept saying I was done. But then I would just do it again.

Chris reached over, pulled a scrap of notebook paper out of my hair and flicked it at me.

"Funny Chambers. Real funny." I shook my head like a wet dog and combed my fingers through it to get rid of any leftover scraps.

We walked about a block, maybe a block and a half when Vern said, "I almost forgot, my folks said it was okay if we tent out in my back field tonight."

I always wanted to ask Vern what caused him to think about that just then. It had gone from school, to paper scraps, to that.

Guess I could never ask him now.

We all agreed to meet at the treehouse around four as we came to the corner where Vern and I went right, Teddy went left, and Chris and Gordie went straight.

As I walked down the alleyway that took me to the street my house was on (as I kicked an old, rusty can down the dusty street) I thought about what might happen when we got older and really started noticing the opposite sex. Would we still be able to do the _'End of Year Tent-Out'_ or would it just be too awkward?

I didn't know just then, and I didn't want to spend all my energy thinking about it because I knew, _I just knew, _Truth or Dare would be Number One on the list of things to do.

I hate that game.

And that stupid tradition of playing it at every tent-out.

The person responsible for creating that game should have been shot.

Personal opinion of course.

I unlocked the front door and let myself inside. Mom was asleep of course. I went to my room and put all of my old school stuff in the drawer in my little out-cove part of my room where a dresser, desk and a couple random things were.

I grabbed my small pack and put an extra set of clothes in it just in case of something.

At the 5th grade tent out, when I wasn't looking, Gordie and Teddy poured when felt like 10 gallons of water over my head.

No change of clothes.

I almost killed them. But the farthest I got was a good couple of hits with a branch for the fire.

I threw in my bathing suit because in the very back on his field, there was a small lake/big pond type thing.

Thankfully, no leeches.

I tied two blankets together with an old belt, put my stuff by the front door, and wrote a small note to my mother.

(Makes it seem like I'm running away.)

_Mom,_

_End of Year Tent-Out tonight. Be at Vern's. Call if something happens._

_Bailey._

I added his phone number (though she never called the Tessio's. And if she did, I never knew about it.) I put it in the kitchen and, even if it was only three thirty, I left.


	13. Chapter 13

Notes: I know, it has almost been a month since my last update. And just like everyone else, it's because of school. I know, lame. So hopefully this chapter will make up for it. Yes, it's in Chris' point of view, so I hope I did well. It took me a while to write this because I was afraid I wasn't getting him down well.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!****

**

* * *

**

_I know that you are something special  
To you I'd be always faithful  
I want to be what you always needed  
Then I hope you'll see the heart in me  
__-Beautiful Soul, Jesse McCartney_

**Chris' POV**

It was a little after four when I got to the treehouse. I figured I would be the first or the second one there, since Gordie is early for everything.

He says it's so if he's ever late for something, you'll know there's something wrong.

Anyway, Gordie wasn't there yet. It didn't appear that anyone was there yet. I threw my bag against the tree and Bailey's head came whipping out from the side of it.

"You surprised me." She said standing up and dusting off the back of her pants.

I smiled. "I didn't think anything scared you."

She gave me a look. "I said surprised, not scared."

I nodded. Then I asked, "Where're the guys?"

She looked over my shoulder. "Well, here comes Gordie."

Gordie joined us. We had to wait around 15 more minutes for Teddy to come, and then together we walked to Vern's.

Teddy and Gordie hurried forward and started whispering about something. The only reason why I noticed was that they turned around once, with weird looks on their faces.

I didn't really care. They were my best friends.

Besides, if something were wrong, Gordie would have said something.

Anyway, as soon as we got there, the door swung open and Mrs. Tessio greeted us.

Apart from Teddy's mother, Vern's was the nicest. It's hard to believe she gave birth to Billy.

Mrs. Tessio pulled us inside, took our stuff from us, and practically threw them at Vern, who wasn't excepting them and fell over.

We all laughed at him as his mother grabbed a few things off the floor and got Vern up. Then she rushed us into the kitchen where she put our stuff.

"The food's already been cooked so whenever you're hungry, just come up and grab the tray. Vern already set up the tent so you can go right down. Have fun! Be careful!"

We all grabbed our things. "Thanks Mrs. Tessio." Bailey said politely before we left.

This time Gordie and Teddy had Vern and were whispering to him. This time Bailey noticed and gave me a weird look. I could only shrug. I was just as confused as she was.

We got to the tent just as the guys started to snicker.

Which could be _bad_.

Just like always, we decided to swim first. And just like always, Bia had to go into the tent to change. She did the same thing every year. And every year we would tell her to just wear her suit under her clothes. And every year she'd tell us to shut the hell up and to not open the tent while she was changing.

And just like every year, Teddy snuck over to the opening of the tent.

I went up to him, put my hand on his shoulder, and shook my head.

Teddy looked frustrated. "Every year man."

"I'm saving you from getting your ass kicked."

Teddy shook his head before heading off to the lake/pond thing.

A few moments later, Bailey crawled out.

"Again?" She asked, before looking in the direction of the others.

I nodded. "Just like every year."

She sighed as we began following them. "You should've just let him do it the first time back in 5th grade. I didn't have anything to hide then."

I just sighed. We were coming up to the dock. "Race you." I smirked.

She stopped and turned to me. "No. You know you'll just end up beating me anyway."

I shrugged. "You almost beat me when we were running to your house."

She sighed and shook her head. "Until you tackled me-GO!" She yelled before taking off.

I started after her. She was going fast. I honestly think that if she wouldn't have hit the side of the tree stump, she would have beaten me to the dock, which was just big enough for one person, so she would've beat me.

But she hit the side of the stump, causing her to spin and trip. That was when I ran past her, over the dock, and did a pretty bad dive.

When we were little, the pond always seemed bottomless, but off the very edge of the dock, it was around 8 feet deep. It was the very center.

My head broke through the surface just in time to see Bailey's body practically fly over mine, doing some cheerleading move.

We were all laughing about it when she came up.

"What?" She looked confused.

"Since when can you do that?" Teddy asked her.

She splashed him. "I could always do that. You just never paid any attention."

This got a splash-war going, which caused a dunking war going.

Somehow, Gordie and Teddy got under Vern and flipped him onto his back.

While I was laughing at him, Bia jumped on my back. "Good times," she said before tightening her legs around my waist and dragging me under.

Don't get me wrong, if I wanted to get her off and dunk her myself, I could have. But I let her have some fun.

We got out a little while later, after Teddy had successfully made Bailey do a back flip in midair. We all were laughing when suddenly Teddy yelled out before he did a face-smacker.

Vern almost drowned. Hell, we all did. It was one of the funniest things I had seen in a long time.

Anyway, after we got out, we headed to the house because we were all starved.

We ate so fast, Mrs. Tessio couldn't help but ask, _"When was the last time you kids ate?"_

After that we got back into our normal clothes and sat in front of the tent.

We all looked at each other and Bailey put her head in her hands.

"What?" Gordie asked.

"I know what you're going to say."

"And what's that?"

She gave him a look. "Truth or Dare."

"That's a great idea!" Teddy did his insane laugh as Bailey smacked her forehead a few times.

"You all know I strongly dislike this game." She shook her head.

We went a few rounds and everything seemed like it was going okay. That is, until Teddy turned to Bia.

"Bailey, truth or dare?" He asked.

She shook her head and started laughing. "Dare."

Teddy smirked at the two of us and I got a bad feeling about what he was going to say.

"I dare you." His smirk continued to grow. "To kiss." Pause. "Chris."

"What?!" We cried at the same time.

Gordie and Vern whistled as Bailey looked at me sideways and looked back at Teddy.

"Excuse me?" She said pretending to be calm, though she said it through gritted teeth.

"Kiss Chris." If it's even possible, his smirk grew more.

"So that's what you were talking about on the way out here." I couldn't help but say.

He nodded. "Come on Bailey, you know the rules. No take backs."

She turned to me and I think I may have blushed. She looked back at Teddy. "If this ruins our friendship, I will be **forced** to kick your ass."

He just laughed at her.

Slowly, she turned to me and looked the way I felt. Gradually, she began to move in.

Gordie yelled, "Come on!" So she grabbed the front of my shirt and jerked me forward.

I won't lie. I enjoyed it, which goes against the rules of friendship because she was one of my best friends.

…and I didn't want the kiss to end.

Which it didn't until the guys began catcalling. That was when she pulled away at the speed of light.

The game continued on, but I kept finding myself thinking about her.

I think I liked my best friend.

That could be bad.

Really, really bad.


	14. Chapter 14

Notes: I know I haven't updated again in a long time. And yes, I am asking for your forgiveness again. This chapter is actually pretty pointless. You learn a little more about Bailey and why her mom isn't the happiest around her, but not that much. That has a whole chapter ((or four)) to itself.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_I wonder how I ever made it through a day  
How did I settle for a world in shades of gray  
When you go in circles all the scenery looks the same  
And you don't know why and I looked into your eyes  
Where the world stretched out in front of me…  
__-Before Your Love, Kelly Clarkson_

**Baileys POV**

I woke up sometime in the middle of the night. Someone, who I think was Vern, was snoring. I closed my eyes for a minute. Then I opened them again and I was just about to roll over to go back to sleep when I noticed Chris was sitting up, looking off into space.

The only reason I could tell he was awake was because he would blink occasionally.

And he looked like he had been looking at it for a while now.

Could the entrance to the tent really be _that_ interesting?

"Chris," I whispered, rising to my elbows.

He jerked his head towards me.

He must have been deep in thought.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I sat up.

He nodded before turning away again.

Sometimes that boy really worries me.

I sighed, then took my blanket off and crawled over in front of him.

"Are…" I paused. "Are things going to be awkward between us now?" I asked.

I really dreaded the answer. He was my best friend. Could a dare like that be powerful enough to destroy that?

I really, really hope not.

If he either said yes or didn't respond, come morning, I was fully prepared to kick Teddy's ass.

Great thing about that is if I wanted to, I probably could. Teddy wouldn't fight back. None of them would. It's all because I'm a girl.

Don't hit girls. That's rule number one.

But if I did it in sight of the others, they'd stop me.

Chris turned to me and looked me in eye for a few moments.

I swear I could feel him looking into my soul.

Another one of those things I think that are awkward for everyone.

Especially for me.

But he just shook his head. "No way."

I smiled. "Good. Because-"

"You would have been forced to kick Teddy's ass." He finished for me with a smirk.

I nodded as I felt myself start to smile.

We sat in silence for a few minutes.

Again, it was the comfortable silence. I don't know if we've ever had uncomfortable silence before.

Then I turned to him.

"Tell me something about you that nobody knows."

He gave me a look that was a mixture of confusion, sadness, and something else I couldn't put my finger on. But he just shook his head and said,

"You know everything about me. That's totally pointless."

I poked him in the side. "Please? You couldn't have told me everything."

I couldn't help but think, _because I never told you everything._

He thought for a moment. "I'm scared one day…" He paused and I thought he was going to cry. "I'll become my father because I can already see parts of him in me."

I was at a loss for words for about a minute.

"No, you're not." I said finally.

He just nodded. I could tell he didn't believe me. Then he said, "You go."

"What?"

"Tell me something about you that no one knows."

I thought for a minute, and then reluctantly said, "My mother hates me because of something that happened in Pennsylvania."

Chris gave me a look that clearly said _That's impossible _but he only said "I'm sure she doesn't."

I shook my head and looked away. "You have no idea."

He nodded in understanding before he turned his gaze back to the tent entrance.

I couldn't help but stare at him.

What horrible thing would he have to have done in his past life to deserve what he was given? It seemed like the only good thing in his life was us.

After a little while, I said goodnight again, went back to my spot, and fell back asleep.

I had some of the weirdest dreams that night. I can't even begin to tell you about them, they were that strange.

We went swimming again that morning. It was a little cold for the first day of summer, but, hell, it was summer! Who's complaining?

Not me.

When we got there, Teddy, Vern and Chris jumped in. Just before he got in, I ran up behind Gordie, grabbed him around the middle, and pushed him and myself in.

I started laughing underwater and had to come up quickly or I would have drowned.

I started coughing as Gordie came up. "Not cool," he said, shaking his head.

"Shut up, you knew it was coming. It's payback." I smirked.

He thought for a minute, and, realizing what I meant, nodded.

Just like yesterday, another splash war started.

Every time we swim, we end up in a splash war. I never understood that. Couldn't we just spend the time relaxing?

Ha! Who was I kidding?

After a while, I climbed up onto the dock again.

The splashing was getting slightly annoying.

"Where are you going?" Chris asked and the splashing momentarily stopped.

"I'm getting away from the splashing." I told him.

"Why, scared?" Teddy laughed in his insane way.

I pointed at him. "Hey!" I paused and for a lack of anything clever to add, I just said, "Shut up."

_"Chika Rewind!" _Vern yelled.

Teddy dunked him, but I was embarrassed.

A few years ago, I read a book about gangs from the library and became interested in them. I wrote out the outline for a gang-related book once called _15__th__ Street Chika's and Blue Pride Havens._

The guys, unfortunately, **have not** let me forget this.

With the guys watching, I sighed and stepped to the very edge of the dock. I turned around and then did a decent back flip.

Groups' best back flipper? Teddy.

The splash war continued until we were too tired to continue.

We walked back up to the tent, packed our stuff, took down the tent, and went up for breakfast.

Mrs. Tessio always cooks too much for us.

And that's with four teenage boys and a teenage girl.

I have no idea where Billy was. Probably out with the Cobras.

Not that any of us actually _cared_.

We finished eating and sat around for a while, playing one card game after another.

It was sometime in the middle of the day when we decided to go home.


	15. Chapter 15

Notes: Oh my God, I am so sorry times infinity to the power of pi. Stage Crew for our Fall Play has been my life since mid-September. But it's over, so I will be writing a lot more now. As soon as I post this, I'm going to finish Chapter Twenty and start Chapter Twenty-One. I won't promise that it won't happen again, but I'll try my hardest to prevent it. And as for the chapter, I needed something cute and fluffy, but not choke worthy. With this whole story, you can think of each chapter as an individual story that somehow comes together in the end. Oh, and the end of the chapter is kind of lame. Work with me though.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

* * *

_I__'ll be there for you  
When the rain starts to pour  
I'll be there for you  
Like I've been there before  
I'll be there for you  
'Cuz you're there for me too...  
__-I Will Be There For You, The Rembrandt's_

That summer flew by. It was almost like last summer.

Just…you know, minus the whole _let's go look for the dead body of a kid our age and everyone can get emotional and we can shot things and almost __**die **__two or three times_.

Yes, that is the official name of last summer.

Though…no one calls it that but me. The guys just give me funny looks every time I say it.

But like I said. Summer flew by. And we just did what we always did: wake up at nine or ten, tree house at noon, sit around doing stuff until dark, go home and repeat.

All. Summer. Long.

Some of you may be thinking, _Jesus Christ, didn't that get annoying or boring or didn't you get sick of seeing each other or __**something?**_

Answer: Not entirely. It never got boring. Though there _were_ days that one of us got annoyed with the others, but that didn't happen as often as it probably should have.

That summer was great. Just like the ones before and most likely like the ones to come.

The only thing that really seems to stand out about that summer was we had more tent-outs/sleepovers then we ever had.

And there were those nights that individually stand out. You know, the ones that no matter how hard you try, you cannot forget them.

One happened sometime in early July.

The original plan was to meet at the tree house at eight and then head to Vern's field.

But we got there and decided we were too lazy to go so we thought we would be cool and we would sleep in the tree house.

Ha-ha.

Let me tell you how _that_ went.

With Gordie already at five foot seven, Chris and Teddy at five-six, and Vern and I at five-five…well, I'm sure you get the point.

I slept in a _**wooden**__ chair._

One of the worst nights sleeps ever.

But it was fun. And when you're 12 and 13, that's all that really matters.

But now it's late August. More precisely, the weekend before Labor Day.

Temperature? Ninety-nine, or so said the thermometer that is in my kitchen window looking into the backyard (the radio said it was only 93. Heh, they wish).

The plan for that day was the tree house at one.

Why it was later, I'll never know. I never asked.

I walked up the hill and saw Chris, lying on the grass below the tree, shirt off, like always.

I smirked as I saw his eyes were closed and he was breathing as if he was asleep.

I crept closer to him, lifted my leg over him, and sat down, with a leg on each side of him.

He jumped and I almost fell off him. "Bailey…" He lay back down.

"What's wrong, heat making you tired?" I asked him.

He nodded, and then opened his eyes. "It's too hot, get off."

I laughed at him as I rolled off to his side and lay down next to him.

He closed his eyes again. His legs were bent like upside-down V's, so I tucked my legs underneath his and put my arms on his chest and laid on them as I looked up at him.

"What's up?"

He opened his eyes again before shrugging.

I gave him a worried look. "Are you okay?" I asked.

I hated when he looked like that. He always looked so upset…so troubled…not as if a…_normal_ teen boy should look.

Not even a normal teen…he just should not've looked like that.

He smiled slightly and nodded. "You ready for school?" He asked.

I laughed. "Are you kidding? No…well…I guess."

He nodded again. "Eighth Grade. You know what that means…"

"More all girls gym and Home Ec." I gagged myself. "Just what every girl needs."

He laughed at me before leaning his head back again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked again.

He shrugged again. "Just thinking."

"About…" I pushed on.

"Life," he replied simply.

"Good or bad thoughts?"

"More of _'what the Hell am I going to do with myself when I graduate' _type of thoughts."

I sighed in…relief? I don't know, maybe. "Oh."

He just nodded.

"Well, you could go to college-"

He snorted. "Yeah…sure."

I pinched his arm. "Like I was saying, you could go to college and become a doctor or a vet or a lawyer or something sweet like that."

He looked at me. "You think?"

I nodded. "You're smart Chris. You just don't believe in yourself enough and don't…well…apply yourself that well. But if you work really hard, you can get out of this hell hole and become someone." I turned my head away. "Just remember to send a postcard for those of us that are going to be stuck here forever."

"What are you talking about? If any of us are getting out of this town, it's you and Gordie."

I laughed bitterly, my mother's words now repeating in my head. "Yeah, of course." I replied sarcastically.

He shifted slightly. I turned to look at him.

"Bailey, you're going to be a great Artist someday."

"What are you, the Self-Appointed Guardian of Art?" I snapped before thinking.

He put his hand on my back. "Bia, what happened?"

I shrugged before looking away again.

"No Bailey. What happened?" Chris said again, only more forceful.

I sighed. "…last year, my mom made some stupid comment about my art and I took it pretty hard. I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't really drawn anything since November or December."

"Bailey, you're mom…I don't know what to say about her. But she's all wrong about you. She doesn't even _know_ you. And from what you say, she doesn't seem to _want_ to know you. You're going to be a great Artist one day. And then you're mom'll realize how wrong she was about you."

I sniffed and rubbed my nose on my arm before turning to Chris. "Thank you." I whispered.

He put his other hand on my back in a weird sort of laying hug thing before nodding.

I had just closed my eyes, the sun pounding on my neck, when I heard someone say, "Jesus Christ you two!! Couldn't you do that in the tree house at _least_?!"

We both jumped and looked in the direction of the voice.

"Hey Teddy, a little warning next time huh?" Chris said as we sat up.

"Can you say heart attack?" I added.

His response was just his crazy laugh as we stood up and proceeded to go up into the tree house.

A little while later, I was drawing circles on an old piece of paper, Gordie was reading various murder mystery magazines and the other three were playing some card game or another when Teddy looks at us and smiled before saying that we should go back to Harlow like last summer.

He laughed his mad laugh. We knew he was kidding, but we all hit him with things anyway.

There was no way in hell any of us would ever go back there again.

Not even in a million years, not even for a million dollars…

Well… maybe the last one.

Ha-ha!


	16. Chapter 16

Notes: I know right? Another chapter up so soon. Well, I'm in a good mood. I finished Chapter Twenty-One last night and I get to see the movie **AUGUST RUSH** with my best friend Alex today! I'm way excited. Anyway, this chapter is so pointless, but I needed to introduce the semi-new, is kinda needed in later chapters, though not really character. She won't be mentioned again till I don't know when. And the ending is, once again, dumb and corny.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_You remember the days when we would  
Kick back, lay back  
We'd be chillin' with the ladies  
Those times were the greatest  
So don't worry about a thing my friend  
Cos you can count on me, thick and thin  
Cos I'll be there right till the end, till the end  
-Best Friend, S Club 7_

_Ring._

I walked into the kitchen and glanced over at the phone before shaking my head as I pulled out a bowl and a spoon and poured myself breakfast.

It was still earlier and besides, I knew who it was anyway.

Today was, of course, the first day of school. Only one more year until High School!!

_Ring. Ring._

I sat down as I rolled my eyes. It was one of the guys. It had to be.

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

I sigh and reached over to the phone.

_Ring. Ring. Ring. Ri-_

"Oh my God, what?!" I yelled into the phone with a mouthful of Cornflakes.

"Whoa, Jesus Christ Bailey. Calm down," said the voice on the other end.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Teddy, it's not even seven. What could be so important that you needed to call me this early? I'm going to see you in less than 30 minutes."

"I know what time it is! I was supposed to call last night but I forgot. You're going to me-"

"Yes Teddy. I am going to meet you guys in front of the school. I will be wearing what I usually wear. And we will compare schedules. Now let me eat my breakfast in peace!"

Teddy laughed. "Whatever you wet. See you later."

"Yeah, later." I laughed slightly as I hung up the phone.

One bowl of Cornflakes and a teeth brushing later, I grabbed my bag and left for school.

Did you ever notice that even if you're dreading school, when you're heading there, your stomach feels like it's full of butterflies?

Well, it happens to me.

I came up to the guys and said, "See, I'm here, like always. But no, you had to get Teddy to call me at seven in the morning." I shook my head.

I wanted to ask why they thought it was so important to make sure I was still going to meet them, but I didn't, obviously.

Gordie pulled out his schedule. "Come on we don't have all day."

I unzipped my bag and pulled my schedule out, the others following suit.

"Does anyone think it's odd we have practically the same classes together as last year or is it just me?" I asked as we headed inside.

"It's just you." Teddy told me.

I slapped him upside the head. "See you guys in Homeroom."

I walked down the hallway to my locker. Same as last year. It even had a few stickers in it from then. I actually **missed **my locker.

I don't think I'll tell anyone that though.

I put my folders and such away before closing my locker and heading to room 221, Mr. Trager. He taught English and according to my schedule, he would be our ((our as in the five of us)) English teacher.

Good fun.

"Long time, no see," I said as I sat down.

Luckily, the tables were the same as last years Homeroom. And, of course, we sat the same way we did last year. It was me next to Vern, Gordie across from me and Teddy across from Vern with Chris at the head next to me.

Not that you probably care, but oh well. I needed to explain myself.

Mr. Trager talked about Homeroom Rules for most of the time, and then gave us the last five minutes to talk quietly.

I looked over my schedule again. "Oh, sick, we have Ms. Williams again for Art Gordie. Nice." I said somewhat quietly.

The guys started talking about Woodshop so I just sat back and listened. Then I heard someone giggle and another shush her. I glanced over Teddy's shoulder. I realized the giggle was from one of the girls at the front table. Molly Evans looked embarrassed.

I kinda liked Molly. She was a friendly person. We had had a few classes together. She was nice.

…and she was glancing at…

I smirked and started giggling. I couldn't help it.

The guys stopped talking and looked at me.

"What?" Chris asked.

"I think Gordie has a fan club."

Gordie actually **blushed**. "What?"

I nodded lightly in the direction of Molly's table.

Gordie started to turn around when I hissed, "Don't look!"

"What are you talking about?" Teddy asked.

"Molly Evans. I think she has a crush on Gordie." I smirked as I glanced back at her.

She seemed to be talking about something else. "But I think it's supposed to be a secret. Don't let her know that you know."

Gordie shrugged. "It's not a problem. I don't like her anyway."

The conversation turned back to something else.

The bell rang about a minute later. Teddy, Vern and I headed downstairs for History as Gordie headed to Math and Chris headed to Science.

History passed quickly seeing, as all they talk about is rules and hand out books and paper with class rules on them.

Art was pretty much the same way. Just minus the book.

Why are the rules for _every_ classroom exactly the same?

That's what I want to know.

The rest of the day went by the same. I almost fell asleep in math though. Chris had to keep stepping on my foot or poking me in the side to keep me from detention.

Lunch came. And lunch went.

Descriptive, I know.

School was finally over. The next day came. It was almost the same as the day before, only some classes gave homework.

Ick.

But, hey, it was school. You're not supposed to _enjoy_ it.

That week went by quickly, considering it was still the first week. And luckily, the teachers didn't give us much homework that week. Oh, but it would come.

Boy, would it come.


	17. Chapter 17

Notes: Okay, I know, I know. I'm trying to update and write a lot because I want this story to be done before I graduate. I'm in the middle of Chapter 22, and there's around 43 or so chapters planned. So I'm one half there! Hoo-rah. And I have no idea what was going on in my mind when I wrote this…so…yeah. Happy readings.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!  
_

* * *

Grew up in a small town  
And when the rain would fall down  
I'd just stare out my window  
Dreaming of what could be  
And if I'd end up happy  
I would pray  
__-Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson_

It was about the fourth week of school. I walked into Homeroom and sat in the same seat as always.

I pulled out my newest art project from it's folder. The 3-day theme…well, it wasn't even a theme. You had to find a quote you thought represented life and do something with it. My quote was: _When Would We See the Sky: We Were Made of Dreams._

"Bam!" I said slightly louder then I meant too as I slammed it onto my desk with a result of getting some stares from those around us. "What do you think?"

All I actually did was draw about fifteen or twenty houses that looked exactly the same with a sunrise (or sunset, whichever) over it. It was pretty, with the houses white with blue shutters and the sky purple and pink. My quote was written in red cursive across the sky.

The guys looked at it with open mouth.

I started snapping my fingers. "Hel-lo."

They all blinked and looked at me.

"That's your art project?" Gordie asked, looking up at me.

I nodded and smiled. "My goal is to make Ms. Williams cry again this year."

Chris gently took in and looked it over. "That's definitely possible with this. It's really good." He handed it back.

"Thanks." I tucked it back in it's folder.

Homeroom went just as Homeroom does, as did History.

Art came and just like I hoped, Ms. Williams actually started tearing up over it. I leaned back in my seat and smiled to myself as Gordie just shook his head and mumbled something about Art teachers.

"Well, she almost cried." I told Chris, Teddy and Vern as we waited for Mr. Trager.

The guys laughed as Mr. Trager walked in.

"Alright, today class, we're going to do a small writing exercise. I want you to, in your groups, pick someone and write about them. Five to ten sentences. If you need a partner, you can see me. Remember that you will be sharing this with the class. You have twenty minutes! Get writing!" He clapped his hands once before sitting down behind his desk.

Those instructions were…detailed…

We all kinda just looked at each other for a minute before Chris, the Voice of Reason, simply said, "How about we go clockwise? So it would be that Vern does Teddy, Teddy does Gordie, Gordie does Bia, Bia does me, and I do Vern."

"Sounds good, yeah, okay." We all agreed.

I handed Chris a piece of paper like always. I tapped my pencil a few times while looking at him out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to do him justice. It's the least I could do. He looked up at me and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back when suddenly I was hit with inspiration and began to write.

Fifteen minutes later, Mr. Trager told us to put our pencils down. He called on tables around the room and ten minutes later, finally got to us. Vern read his first (not his best work, though still good), Teddy read his (of course he mentioned his obsession: Gordie's Le Dio stories), and then Gordie read his (all I really recall from it was something about his father and how I, in one way or another, helped make him determined enough to stand up to his dad) and then Mr. Trager turned to me. "Ms. Warnock, you wrote your paragraph on…" He trailed off to let me finish his sentence.

I almost smirked. Almost. "Chris Chambers." I told him.

Almost instantly, some of the kids in the class began whispering. I could see Chris look down out of the corner of my eye.

"Interesting." Mr. Trager nodded slowly.

I cracked my knuckles.

Chris glanced over at me.

"Please, read what you wrote."

I cracked my knuckles one or two more times before reading (with a _tiny_ smirk I might add):

_He's been my best friend practically all my life. Despite what everyone thinks, he's a great person and I'm grateful that he's my friend. He can always tell when something's wrong and understands everything you tell him. There are times he starts talking to you and you forget that he's only a teenager. He becomes practically ageless, like he's already lived his life and is just back for the ride. But he's always been there for me. For _all_ of us. We share a silent bond from that weekend we went to the Back Harlow Road. He's my best friend. And I wouldn't have it any other way. _

I looked up at Mr. Trager and the rest of the class. I could tell that I surprised them with what I said. I could also tell that my face plainly read _Say anything rude and die._

"Very descriptive Bailey." Mr. Trager nodded.

I smiled slightly in thanks and put the paper away as Chris read his about Vern.

Just as the last girl was reading hers, the bell rang and we all gathered up our stuff and started to leave.

When I got into the hallway, I turned left because I forgot to put away my picture after Art.

"Bailey!" I turned around quickly.

"Hey Chris." I trailed off.

He came up beside me and we walked to my locker together. I was doing the combination (30, 12, 30) when he said, "Thanks."

I pulled open my locker. "For what?" Even though I already knew.

He leaned against the locker next to mine as I put the folder on the top shelf. "For not making me seem the way they all think I am."

I sighed. "You're not like that Chris. They don't know you. But you're welcome anyway." I closed and locked my locker. "Besides, it was fun."

He looked at me oddly. "Fun?"

I nodded.

He laughed. "You have a weird idea of fun."

I just shrugged as we walked off to math together.


	18. Chapter 18

Notes: I know, I'm updating a lot sooner. But that's only because I'm writing a lot faster. But seriously, the beginning of this chapter is kind of weak. But it gets better! (I hope.) So don't be mad if it doesn't satisfy you completely. Thank you  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

You never really know what you might find  
Now all I see is you and I  
You're everything I never knew  
That I've been looking for  
-I Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You, High School Musical_

A few months had passed. It was about two weeks after Christmas Break, and even then, no one wanted to be back in school.

"Bailey, are you okay?"

I looked up from my _Yoplait_. Chris and Gordie were looking at me funny. I hadn't notice them come over or sit down.

I must have been really out of it.

I shrugged.

I woke up this morning feeling sick. My throat, head and stomach all hurt. Not fun at all.

"What's wrong?" Gordie asked as they started eating.

I could smell the gravy on whatever they were eating and it was making me feel a little sick.

I just swallowed and said, "I just don't feel good. I'll be fine tomorrow."

Tomorrow came and I was _not_ feeling any better.

I knocked on my moms' door.

"What?" She called; obviously mad I had woken her up.

"I don't think I'm going to go to school today." I said through the door.

I waited for a response, but when none came, I walked back into my bedroom and fell back to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later. I looked at the clock. It was eleven-thirty. I would have been in math with Chris.

I rolled out of bed and headed into the kitchen. I felt hungry so I thought I could eat a piece of toast or something.

I was _so_ wrong.

I ate it, don't worry. I went back to my room and five minutes later I was in the bathroom.

Yes, I will be kindhearted and spare you the details.

I walked back into my bedroom, after brushing my teeth, wiping my mouth and feeling surprisingly better. I unlocked my window and pulled it up about half an inch because I knew that one of the guys would come after school.

I fell back asleep and woke up about an hour later to knocking.

"It's open!" I called

The window slid open and Chris climbed in. I sat up and rubbed my eye. Hey."

He put his bag on my bed and unzipped it. "How are you feeling?"

I smiled. "I'll spare you the details, but better."

He nodded, and then said, "I brought you your homework."

I rolled my eyes. "Gee, great, thanks, really."

Chris laughed as he pulled my books out of his bag.

"How did you get my books?"

He shrugged. "I know you're combination."

I gave him a _look._ "No you don't."

He put the books on my bed as he said, "30, 12, 30."

"Okay, so you do know it."

Chris let out a short laugh. Then he looked up at me.

I brushed my hair behind my hair. "Are you okay?"

He sat down on my bed, with his bag between us. "I need help."

"With what?"

"School."

"Um…Chris…" I said slowly. "In case you didn't notice, I wasn't at school today…"

He shook his head. "No…do you remember what you said that day during the summer? About being a doctor or a lawyer or a vet? I've been thinking and…" He looked me in the eye. "I want to be a lawyer."

I smiled. "That's great."

He looked unsure. "So will you help me?"

My smile grew. "Of course I will. And Gordie will too. And by the time High School comes around, you'll be ready for the **mega **accelerated college Math, and then History, then Science, and finally English courses. It'll get you ready for college. Gordie and I have already planned on taking them. We also already talked about you and we agreed we'd help you."

"Thanks."

I nodded. "Your welcome."

We sat in silence for a few minutes before he said calmly, "So…what do you know about the Pythagorean Theory?"

"What do you need to know?" I raised my eyebrow.

Chris smirked. "How to do it."

I shook my head. "Get your book out. I have a lot of work to do."

I spent the next few hours helping him with his homework, one of the few times I ever saw him really do it.

Everything was going fine. My mother had left for work so we moved into the living room to watch TV. After a while, we decided to eat (well, Chris did, so I figured I'd try again). We went into the kitchen. He started making a sandwich and I decided to try toast again (Chris had seen me toss my cookies before, so I wasn't to worried). We both reached for the butter at the same time and a few of our fingers intertwined.

That's when everything it became un-fine.

I got shivers that ran up and down, I got goose bumps, I felt the color drain out of my face and my stomach tightened.

But I knew I wasn't going to be sick.

I just kept looking at him. I couldn't stop.

…I almost _cried._

There's something wrong with me.

"Are you okay?" I heard Chris ask.

My eyes slid back into focus as I nodded slowly.

"Are you going to be sick?"

I removed my hand from him quickly and shook my head just as fast. "No…I'm fine."

He looked at me for another few seconds, and then nodded.

We went back to making our food, and then set off to sit in front of the TV again.

We ate and by that time it was growing dark outside. We joked like normal, but I found myself looking at him out of the corner of my eye more than usual, though I don't think he noticed.

Or at least I hope not.

Around eight Chris said he should probably leave. I felt my stomach drop. I had no idea what was wrong with me.

Chris actually left around nine. My stomach still did the drop thing. It wasn't until I was in bed, all curled up with Iceberg in the crook of my arm that it hit me.

I liked Chris.

I liked my best friend.

That could be bad.

Really, really bad.


	19. Chapter 19

Notes: See, I told some of you that I'd be updating today, and look, I did. Yay me. Yeah, so, for those of you who read and don't review, shame on you. If you take the time to read it, you could at least review it. Anyway, same thing as always for the mistakes in this. I try to catch them, but you know how it is.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_I lie awake and pray  
That you will look my way  
I have all this longing in my heart  
I knew it right from the start  
-Pretty Boy. M2M_

"Do you have your History book?" I asked Chris that Friday (Wednesday was the day I was sick and the whole 'barf, sleep, help Chris' thing happened) after school.

"No, I have to get it on the way to your house. You can come to if you want."

Chris has always been ashamed of where he lived. Though he knows that we don't care about it, but…that's just Chris.

I must have given him a weird look because he, like, semi-sighed and said, "My dad left this morning. He shouldn't be back until Sunday, Monday at the latest."

I could tell that he was thinking….well, not happy thoughts, so I smiled and said, "Okay, come on, Gordie's meeting us at my house around four."

It was as if nothing had changed between us. I figured if I acted the way I usually did, maybe this feeling would go away.

It's not as if Chris felt the same way anyway.

I would always just be one of the guys. To him and to the others.

"You ready?" Chris asked.

I closed and locked my locker. "Yeah."

As we walked outside, I remember something.

"You got your History test back today right?" I asked him, looking over at Chris.

He nodded.

"How did you do?" I asked.

He pulled it out of his pocket. "Guess." He smirked.

I bit the corner of my lip and looked upwards. "A hundred?"

He laughed. "No."

"Ninety?"

Chris shook his head.

"Eighty?"

Chris handed me the test. "Eighty-two."

I took the test in disbelief. "You lie." I gasped as I saw the eighty-two in the corner next to a smiley face. I smiled and hugged him without thinking. "I knew you could do it!"

"The flashcards really worked." He told me.

I then got goose bumps and pulled away. "I told you they would."

As we walked to Chris', we talked about a lot of random stuff. We always did. Everything he said seemed to make me want to smile or laugh. I suppressed some of it. Doing that would be way too obvious.

We got to his house a few minutes later. Chris went in first, and then motioned for me to follow behind him. We walked around the…_stuff_ of the floor and went up the stairs. We walked down the hallway. His room was at the end. I paused for a moment in front of Eyeballs room and glanced in.

I went to walk back to Chris' room when something caught my eye. I looked back in. Then I looked towards the direction of the stairs. Then I went into his room. I went over to the corner and picked something up.

I looked it over and read the tag. Yeah.

It was Denny's…well, _Gordie's _hat.

I looked back towards the hallway, and then stuffed the hat into my backpack.

I walked back into the hallway and was halfway between Eyeballs room and Chris' when I heard someone walk up the stairs. Without thinking, I turned around.

Eyeball and a girl who appeared to be his girlfriend came into view. She was giggling like a retard.

Her name was Shannon Alter. Her younger sister Vicky was in our grade. Shannon had too blonde to be real hair, was too skinny for her own good, short (and I mean short! I was about 2 inches taller then she was) and a S.L.U.T. (**S**kanky **L**oser **U**gly **T**ramp)

"What are you doing here?" Eyeball asked me.

"I'm here with Chris." I was not afraid of him.

Shannon giggled. What the hell? Nothing funny was said.

"So you and my brother are finally together. Took long enough." He said.

I almost blushed. But I fought it down. Blushing was something you don't do when you're only friends are of the male sex. "We're not together." My eye twitched. I was about to start yelling insults when Chris came out of his room and stopped. He glanced at his brother, and then at me.

We all stood silently for a few moments, and then Chris grabbed my arm. We walked past them and left the house.

"What happened?" He asked once outside as we headed towards my house.

I shrugged. "I got distracted and the next thing I know is that Eyeball and his girl-toy are standing there looking at me like I have five heads or something." I inwardly smiled at the image.

Then I noticed the look Chris was giving me. "Nothing happened Chris." I checked my watch. It was almost quarter to four. "Come on, we have to get to my house and celebrate!"

I started dragging him when he asked; "Celebrate what?"

"Your C+ of course!" I told him.

We arrived at my house and waited only about ten minutes until Gordie arrived. We went to my room, goofed off half the time, and studied the other.

After my mom left for work, we moved into the living room and spread out more.

After a while, I stood up and stretched. "I need food. Who's for pizza, popcorn, chocolate and Coke?"

"I'll take you up on the pizza." Chris said, stretching as well.

I went into the kitchen and got out the menu for Castle Rock Pizzeria. "What do you want on it?" I asked. "The usual?"

They both nodded. I dialed and told the guy I wanted a large pepperoni, sausage and green pepper pizza. The guy told me the time and the cost. As I hung up, I turned to the guys. "All we need now is the chocolate covered popcorn."

They looked at each other. "We never agreed to chocolate covered popcorn." Gordie shuddered.

"Fine, we'll have normal popcorn, jeeze." I went into the kitchen to make it.

We were watching TV when the doorbell rang. I threw the money to Chris and made him get it.

When he was out of sight, I opened my backpack and told Gordie, "I have a present for you."

He looked at me weird. And the look intensified when I pulled out his hat.

"Where did you get it?" He asked.

"Eyeballsbedroom." I coughed.

"You didn't."

"He wasn't there, Chris was getting his History book and it was Denny's. I know how much it meant to you. I saw it and I grabbed it. No one knows but the two of us." I gave him a look. "And it would be nice to keep it that way."

He nodded and put it away just as Chris came back with the pizza. We all attacked it once he put it on the table.

Once we finished and cleaned up, we sat around like the pigs we were for a while, just talking about nothing in particular.

After a while, Gordie and Chris started some conversation about something. And after a few minutes of listening to it, I started zoning out. After another few minutes, I found myself looking at Chris. I wasn't really looking **at** him, just in his direction.

A little while later, I got hit in the head with a pillow.

"Gordie, you little son of a bitch-" I threw it back at him.

He laughed as he put it behind him again. "It's not my fault you ignored us and were going all out of it staring at Chris like that."

"I wasn't staring at him." I turned to Chris. "I wasn't staring at you. I was thinking and my eyes were just in your direction." He nodded in understanding.

I turned back to Gordie. "What did you want?"

"Are we getting together tomorrow for more studying?"

I thought for a minute. "Since Chris got that C+ on his test today, I guess not. Besides, it's Saturday and we do need a break. I think that's fair."

The guys nodded. An hour later, they left looking exhausted.

I cleaned up what was left, then put on my jammy-jams and quickly fell asleep.


	20. Chapter 20

Notes: I know, two in one day! My friend spent forever begging me to upload this, so I finally gave in and did. Ignore the mistakes. And for those of you who really want some more BaileyChris action, I'm sorry to disappoint you. But before I ruin it for you, I'll let you read.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_I'm crazy 'bout the way  
__You let me do my thing  
__So many reasons why  
__I want you in my life  
__-Know That, Destiny's Child_

The next morning I woke up early. I got up and cleaned up the rest of the stuff from the night before. Then I crashed on the couch and ate my breakfast in front of the TV, something I rarely did. Around noon, I decided to walk around town.

What? I was bored and there wasn't anything good on TV!

And I had nothing else to do.

So I went and brushed my hair out and grabbed some of my reward money.

Why yes, I did have a good chunk of that money left. Thank you for asking.

I pulled on my shoes and coat, and locked the door behind me. Then I made the short trip to where all the stores were.

Besides there signs for Valentines Day sale at the flower shop, nothing was going on.

I had bought a few things, a blank paper notebook, some pencils, stuff like that. I decided to go back home when I passed Rosalina's.

It was one of those all girl stores that sold dresses, skirts and shirts. Stuff like that.

I got curious and…went inside.

So what? Sue me. A girl can get curious if she wants too.

I walked inside and was immediately greeted by a girl whose nametag said CHRISTA.

"Welcome to Rosalina's, do you need help with anything today?" She asked.

I felt awkward. "No, I'm just…browsing."

Christa nodded. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

I nodded slowly as she walked away.

I browsed the store once and then again. I was bored and was trying to waste time.

I was going past the back of the store again when I saw a rack full of skort's. I took one off the rack and looked at it. It was black with green…thread? I wasn't paying attention that day in Home Ec. Sorry.

I hate to say it, but it was nice looking.

"Would you like to try that on?" I jumped a little and looked to see CHRISTA standing there.

"Uh…" I thought for a second. No one I know would be coming this way, would they? No, of course not. It was only about one and everyone had lives.

Yes, it is possible to have a life in Castle Rock, Oregon.

"I guess." I told CHRISTA.

She led me to the dressing room area and unlocked one for me.

"Thanks." I said awkwardly.

I closed and locked the door. I took my jeans off and quickly pulled on the skort. It fit me really well.

There was no mirror in my dressing room, so I had to use the mirror out in the hall.

I unlocked the door and looked at myself in the mirror. I hate to say it but…

…

…

I actually looked…_pretty._

I semi-turned to look at the back when I glanced out of the main shop window.

And of course, who did I see?

Gordie and Vern.

"How do you like it?" CHRISTA asked me.

I glanced over my shoulder again. I saw Vern look in and I know he saw me.

"I like it a lot." I told her, thinking up a fast lie that would make her happy. "I think I'm going to bring my mother down here with me later today so she can see it before I buy it." I told her with a fake smile.

CHRISTA didn't know that my mother didn't care about that. I would have bought it if I wanted too. But I didn't. Maybe one day though.

I went and changed back into my jeans and walked outside. Gordie and Vern were nowhere to be seen, so I decided to get something to drink at Vincent's Drug Store on the edge of town.

I bought a root beer and sat down. My mind was still on the skort when I was joined.

I looked up swiftly and saw Gordie and Vern slide into my booth, one more gracefully then the other. And I'm sure you can tell which one was which.

"Hey." I said. "What are you guys up too?" I asked after they both said hello.

"We were bored and thought we'd walk around." Vern said, eating his Pez that he had hidden in one hand.

"Where are Teddy and Chris?" I asked.

"Teddy and his mom went up to see his dad and I don't know where Chris is."

I glanced over at Gordie and the look on my face must have been weird because he quickly said, "I'm sure everything's fine."

I shrugged.

We talked for a few more minutes when Vern finally said, "What were you doing in Rosabella's?"

I rolled my eyes. "If you're going to insult me, at least do it correctly. The store name is Rosalina's. And I was trying on clothes."

They exchanged looks.

I rolled my eyes again. "I didn't buy anything. I'm still me. I was just bored like you guys." I smirked. "Besides, I know I looked way different."

They both nodded in unison.

"You didn't look bad though." Vern said.

"Sure." I said sarcastically.

"No, sincerely."

I looked up at the two of them. They _did _look sincere. "Really?" I asked softly.

They both nodded. "We wouldn't lie to you." Gordie said.

I laughed. "Yeah, okay."

They looked at each other.

"Fifth grade. You said if I ate watermelon seeds, one would grow inside of me." I reminded them. "Sixth grade, you told me Tony Winter liked me." I gave them a look. "Need I go on?"

They laughed at the memories. I did too, kind of.

By the way, Tony Winter was this View Prep that had amazing blue eyes; they were so pretty. But they were the only pretty thing about him.

"Yeah." Gordie said after they started breathing again. "But we wouldn't lie to you about your looks. Since you're a girl and all."

"It's weird, you know. Up until a year or more ago, I always thought of girls as boys you weren't allowed to punch." Vern said in all seriousness.

"You." I told him. "Are one screwed up little cracker."

I became serious again. "Listen, I believe you about what you said. Just…don't tell Teddy and Chris about it. Teddy'll never let it go and with all my luck, Chris'll want to see me in one since _I'm a girl._" I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, we promise." Vern said.

I nodded and finished my root beer.


	21. Chapter 21

Notes: I hope you enjoyed the long line of updates while you could. I go back to school tomorrow, so updates may be lacking. I'll try to update as soon as I can, so don't expect this story to stop! I'm so excited that I'm going to actually finish this one, I can't stand it. Ha-ha. The usual applies to the errors, just ignore them.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

Everything changes but beauty remains  
Something so tender I can't explain  
I may be dreaming but until I awake  
Can't we make this dream last forever?  
And I'll cherish all the love we share  
-A Moment Like This, Kelly Clarkson_

It was almost ten when I opened my eyes. I smiled, and then jumped out of bed. I spun around a few times, giggling.

Reasons I was happy. 1. It was summer. 2. IT WAS SUMMER. 3. High School was so close I could TASTE it. And 4. IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY!

I was thirteen now. Oh yeah! I was so happy I could dance. Now, whenever anyone asked how old any of us were, I would have to add anything to the end of it…well, until January. That's when Chris will be turning fourteen. And then Gordie in February. Then Teddy in April, Vern in May, and then me again in June.

I got dressed and did the usual morning routine stuff, as usual. I walked out of my room to go to the kitchen. I was starving and I was going to do something special for breakfast when I passed the coffee table and paused. I took a few steps backwards and stopped again. There was a box on the table. The top of the box just said, _Happy birthday. _It was from my mother.

I blinked, and then stared at the box for a second. I opened it and blinked again. This had to be a trick. Inside was a new pair of Converse's. Sure, they were a girly color of green, but they were **new.** Or, at least, they _looked_ new.

I carried the box into the dining room and set it on the table before continuing into the kitchen.

After looking through all of the cupboards, I finally decided on making a package of ten cinnamon buns.

Fifteen minutes later, the house smelled of cinnamon and I had burned my arm on the tray when I tried to get them off and onto a plate. I ate two ((yes, I am a pig, thank you for noticing)) and left the rest sitting out when the doorbell ring.

I looked at the clock. It was only ten forty-five. I went to the door, unlocked it and pulled it open.

"Happy Birthday!" The guys threw confetti at me.

I smiled big, and then frowned. "I'm not picking that up." I pointed to the confetti. I smiled again. "But what are you doing here? I thought you would be over later. It's not even eleven yet."

"It's not everyday a girl turns thirteen." Gordie said, handing me a small, flat-ish box and a card. Chris handed me a paper bag that was way light. Vern and Teddy handed me the same box. Usually all four of them got me something together. I was confused, but more things to open!

Yes, I find opening the packages more fun than what's in them…usually.

"What's this?" Chris opened my shoebox. "Whoa, are these new?" They guys leaned in to look.

"I think. I don't know though, I didn't buy them." I said honestly.

"Who did?" Teddy asked.

I considered lying, but instead said, "My mother."

They all froze and looked up at me. "No way." Gordie said.

I nodded. "Way."

They looked like they didn't believe me until Vern broke the awkwardness with: "What's that smell?"

"I made cinnamon buns." I told him. At least we were off the shoe subject.

"On you're birthday?" Teddy eyed me.

"If I didn't, who would?" Then I saw the looks on their faces. I sighed. "They're in the kitchen. There's eight left. Help yourself."

They all raced for the kitchen as I set the presents on the table.

When the guys came back in, I reached for Gordie's present. "What is it?" I asked with a grin.

"Open it and find out." He told me.

I tore off the tape and some papers came sliding out. I picked them up and looked them over. My smile grew. "Can I read it out loud?" I asked him.

He shrugged uncaringly. "Sure."

I put the typed pages in order and read: _"The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them--words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they're brought out. But it's more than that, isn't it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you've said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That's the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear._

_"In all our lives, there is a fall from innocence. A time after which we are never the same. It happened in the summer of 1959, a long time ago…for some, it's the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life. But for everyone, it's the time that memories are made of."_

I looked up at them. "It's the prologue to the story Gordie's writing about us." That was obvious. The words PROLOGUE were written across the top of the first page with **The Body**written under it.

"Gordie, man, that was the best." Chris told him.

"It's nothing special. I don't know when I'll write about it again." Gordie shrugged it off.

I took a piece of Teddy's cinnamon bun and ate it quickly, receiving a threatening glare from him. I pulled his and Vern's present to be and inside the box were five stuffed animals. A cat, a deer, a lion, a chicken and a rat.

I laughed.

"What?" Vern asked.

I licked the icing off my fingers and said, "They're us. Look." I placed the cat in front of me. "I'm the cat because I said so."

I placed the deer in front of Gordie. "Gordie's the deer because Gordie's nice and gentle, like a deer"

The lion was placed in front of Chris. "Chris is the lion because he's the leader of the group."

Vern got the chicken. "Vern is the chicken because he's not the bravest of all people."

And Teddy got the rat thrown at him. "And Teddy, you're the rat because only rats are dumb enough to do some of the things he does."

I looked at them, and then said, "Now give them back." And I got pelted with stuffed animals.

I pulled Chris' over, since it was last, and opened it. Inside was his old jean jacket. I used to wear it back in grammar school. "But Chris, this was your favorite jacket…" I trailed off.

"And it was yours too. Besides, I bought a new one and it was either throw it away or give it to you."

"Thanks." I said. "Thanks for the present's guys. If you're done eating, put your dishes in the sink. I'm not your mother!" I told them.

They got up to take their cups and plates into the kitchen. I stood up and tried on Chris' coat. No wonder he had to get a new one. It fitted me almost perfectly. And it smelled like him, which gave me butterflies.

"Check the inside pocket." I jumped and turned around. Chris was standing behind me.

I opened the jacket, put my hand inside the pocket, and pulled out a box. I opened it and almost gasped.

Inside was a little circle necklace with blue and white stones on it, Sure, they weren't real stones, but it still looked _so_ pretty. "Chris." I whispered. "I can't accept this…"

"You'll have too." He told me, smiling. "I lost the receipt."

"This must have cost a lot." I shook my head, taking it out of the box.

"Not as much as you'd think. And I didn't steal it." He added.

"I didn't think you did." I handed it out to him. "Make yourself useful?"

I turned around and he put in on for me. For a second I thought his fingers were touching my neck for a longer then necessary, but I was probably imaging it. Chris thought of me as his friend. Friend. Friends. Nothing more, nothing less. I should be grateful for that.

I turned back around. "How does it look?" I asked.

"Really nice." He said.

I nodded as the guys came back in. We hung around for a while when Teddy said, "Before I forget, my mom's okay with you guys sleeping over tomorrow. She gets off work at six, so we have to 'behave' until then."

Teddy's mom was a nurse at the hospital. Just so you know. Too bad tomorrow would be one of the worst days of my life.


	22. Chapter 22

Notes: This will be my last update for today. I only have through Twenty-Six written. My friend has been talking about this chapter for so long, so I uploaded it for her. Your welcome. My mother read this and asked about why a girl is getting beat up. My answer to that is because they were mad enough to do it. Don't ask me, I needed this idea so a lot of things could happen, okay? Thanks. And for those of you who want more BAILEYCHRIS action, there's a good bit in the next chapter. Happy readings!  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_Face down in the dirt she says,  
_"_This doesn't hurt."  
__She says, "I finally had enough."  
Face down in the dirt she says,  
_"_This doesn't hurt."  
__She says, "I finally had enough."  
__-Face Down, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_

I woke up the next morning around eleven. Sleeping in was such a wonderful thing. That is one of the reasons I loved summer vacation so much.

I was supposed to be at Teddy's house at three, so I took a shower and ate breakfast. There was a cinnamon bun left from yesterday so I ate that.

I did, what else, nothing until it was time to leave even though it was only two-thirty. But what could Teddy be up to that was so bad?

…you know what? I can think of a lot things that answer that question perfectly…anyway…

I decided to ride my bike over to Teddy's. He didn't live that far away (how far away can you live when you can walk anywhere in town in less than 15 minutes?) and the exercise sure wouldn't kill me either.

So I got my bike out of the shed, grabbed my pack and headed to the treehouse. I kept forgetting a sweatshirt there and I wanted it for tonight.

I turned onto Elm Street, where the biggest hill in town was. Kids call it Dead Kids Curve, because there are a lot of glass and other things going all down that hill. And if you fell down it, you would be _messed up_.

I was on the other side of the hill when something got stuck in my spokes. And for those of you who know anything about branches being stuck in your spokes, then you would know that they get stuck and cause you to fall.

And I fell.

Hard.

I got the wind knocked out of me, so while I was trying to get it back, a group of people came towards me.

Then the air I had gotten back left again.

It was Ace, Eyeball, Billy, and the rest of the Cobras.

"I'm ugly huh?" Ace said mockingly. "My mother's a slut right? Said I was a mistake, did she?"

It took me about a second to remember that I had said those things to him. Who remembers stuff like that from over two years ago?

Apparently, Ace did.

They came closer.

"Bet you thought we forgot." Eyeball said.

Ace grabbed my arm and jerked me upward. "We said we'd get you. And look, we did."

I gave him the dirtiest look I could. "You have such a large vocabulary."

Ace gave a fake laugh before punching me in the stomach.

I doubled over and started to cough. Oh my God, it hurt.

I looked up and spat out, "Didn't you learn not to hit girls?!"

Then I tried to get away. I went about eight or nine steps before someone tackled me. I fell funny and I could hear my arm crunch, crack, break, whichever.

I didn't see stars. I saw whole constellations.

The other Cobras all came over and started kicking me. I couldn't stop them, so I started screaming. Loud, long, high-pitched screams. Someone kneed me in the mouth, but I kept screaming. Eyeball gave me a hard blow to the face that broke my nose.

By this time, I was crying like a baby. I couldn't help it. So many emotions were raging in me at once. Pain, humiliation, RAGE, and fear were just some of them.

I stopped screaming. I was struggling to get free. I was doing everything I could to get them to just _stop!_

"Hey! Hey you there! Stop that right now! Police! _Police!_"

They all ran like scared little puppies. All of then except Ace. He gave my one last kick in the side before saying, "Don't let me see you around, bitch."

I looked to see who had stopped them. It was old Mrs. Griffith. I swore right then and there that I would never say another bad thing about her as long as I lived.

"Deary, come on." She helped me up and into her house. I was limping like no ones business. Thankfully, she had a one-story house, like I mentioned earlier.

She sat me on the couch as she said, "I'm going to get you an icepack and then take you to the hospital." Before I could complain or argue, she left.

As soon as she came back, she handed me the ice and took me again outside.

"Wait…" I asked as politely as I could before I grabbed my bike with my good hand, dragged it to the edge of Dead Kids Curve, and threw it off the side. I didn't even watch it go down the hill. I just turned back to her and said, "Okay."

She helped me into the car. "Why did you do that girly?"

I lied. "No reason." However, many were obvious.

A little while later, I was in Castle Rock Hospital Emergency Room. As soon as someone took me, Mrs. Griffith left. Doctor Clarkson set my left arm, my nose, and two fingers, one on each hand.

After one of the nurses walked out, Dr. Clarkson turned to me. "Who did this to you Bailey?" He asked.

"No one Dr. Clarkson." I told him.

He looked angry. "I don't know why you are protecting them."

I tried to look serious, which is hard to do after the drugs they give you. "It was no one, honest. I fell off Dead Kids Curve. My bikes at the bottom if you don't believe me. It's the red one. My name's on it even." I hoped he would not remember that Mrs. Griffith lives on **top** of that hill.

He sighed and left the room soon after that. A nurse came in to tell me that until they could reach my mother, that I had to stay.

I didn't tell them where my mother worked. I was too tired. I had just laid down to go to sleep when someone opened the curtain and called out, "My goodness! Bailey Warnock, is that you?

I opened my eyes and gasped. "Mrs. Duchamp!" I sat up quickly.

I had completely forgotten that Teddy's mother was a nurse! Jesus, I could my stomach tighten. I was screwed.

"What happened to you?" She came in and started checking me over.

"I fell off my bike and fell down Dead Kids Curve." I winced as she took off a band-aid to look. Was that necessary?

"Sorry honey." She put a new band-aid on. "Does your mother know?"

I almost lied, but it was Mrs. Duchamp and she liked me. So instead, I shook my head.

"Does she still work nights?" I nodded.

"My shift doesn't end until six, so after that I'll swing by and you can spend the night at our house."

I blinked "But the boys are all there-"

"Nonsense, they won't be bothering you. And I'll call your mother and let her know where you are."

"Mrs. Duchamp, that isn't necessary! I'll be fine. Really."

"Six o'clock." She said loudly before leaving.

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.

I tried to think of a way out of that but I couldn't.

I **was** screwed.


	23. Chapter 23

Notes: Yay for chapter 23. That's in Chris' POV. This'll probably be the last one in his POV. Maybe, I dunno yet. You'll understand as soon as you read this. And I know some people wanted them not the believe her (Rhee…ha-ha) but I liked this to much to delete and start over. And don't be mad if I didn't get Chris down a hundred percent. I'm trying okay? And the song lyrics are the most fitting I've had in so long. It's crazy. As for the errors, ignore them. OH! And my new goal is 100 reviews, so if you read this, please review it. Thanks!  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

Pretty girl is suffering,  
While he confesses everything  
Pretty soon she'll figure out  
What his intentions were about  
-Pretty Girl, Sugarcult_

**Chris' POV**

"Jesus, where the hell is Bailey?" Teddy asked again.

We were all wondering where she was. She was like Gordie. Early for everything, late for nothing.

Something must be wrong.

"Yeah." Vern added. "It's like, six o'clock." He shrugged. "Maybe she doesn't like us anymore."

Without even thinking, I reached over and punched him on the arm. "Don't say that. She'll be here, she'll come."

Then we sat around for another minute or two, not saying anything until Teddy and Vern started going through last years yearbook.

"I think I could get far with Sabrina Parker."

Gordie laughed. "That's because she's just as crazy as you are." He told Teddy.

"And she has a nice rack." Teddy added.

"You're sick man." I said, grabbing another handful of popcorn.

"What about you Chris?" Vern asked, taking the yearbook from Teddy. "Who do you like?"

Ha, yeah, like I'd ever tell _you_ guys. Don't get me wrong, they're my best friends, but telling them I liked Bailey could be a **huge** mistake. "I don't really like anyone." I told them.

"Well, describe what you look for and we'll tell you who your girl could be." Gordie said leaning over to look too.

I sighed. "I like girls that are funny, athletic, smart, have a nice smile, aren't afraid to speak up and are slightly shorter than me." I told them.

The guys opened the book to our year. Gordie pointed to someone. "Her?"

"No, she's a bitch." Teddy said. They turned a few pages.

"Her?" Vern asked.

"No way." Gordie shook his head.

They turned another page. Teddy pointed and laughed as the others looked shocked.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Do you know who you just described?" Gordie asked, taking the yearbook from Teddy.

I shook my head.

Gordie turned the yearbook around and pointed.

"Bailey Warnock."

Teddy laughed again. I took one look at her picture before I closed the yearbook. "You're ridiculous. Me and Bailey are friends. We're not getting together." I told them.

Gordie looked at me funny as Vern said, "Good, because that would be weird."

"Theodore!" We heard from the driveway. "Theodore, come out here and help me!" It was Mrs. Duchamp.

Teddy and Vern left to go see what she wanted as Gordie pulled me to the side.

"What?" Why was I whispering?

"You like Bailey, don't you?" Gordie asked confidently.

"What?" I was shocked he had asked. "No!"

He gave me a look like he didn't believe me.

I sighed. "Yeah…I do."

Gordie semi-smirked. "I figured."

I sighed again. "Man, what do I do? She's supposed to be one of my best friends! I'm not supposed to _like her!_

"Did you try telling her?"

I almost laughed. "Are you serious?"

It was his turn to sigh. "Then maybe you should just wait it out. And when the time's right, you'll know."

I nodded. "Okay. Thanks." Teddy cursed from somewhere outside. "Just one more thing."

"What?"

"Promise you won't tell anyone."

He gave me another look. "I promise."

We could hear Vern's voice, but not what he was saying. Then Bailey's voice said, "Vern, I wasn't hit by a truck! I can walk fine without your help. I just want to go to sleep."

Then the four of them came through the door and my eyes flew open.

"Oh my God." I whispered, looking over at Gordie. He looked the same as I felt. "Bailey, what happened?" I asked.

She didn't answer right away. Her arm was in a cast and sling, she was bruised all over, she was cut up, two of her fingers were in splints and I think her nose was broken as well.

"She fell down that big hill by your treehouse." Mrs. Duchamp told us as Bailey looked down at the floor. "Let that be a lesson to you boys." Mrs. Duchamp then left to change and she said she'd be in her room the rest of the night and to not make a lot of noise. She took hold of Bailey's arm and led her to the guest room.

After Teddy's mom left the guest room, we all went into it.

Teddy started laughing as soon as the door was shut. "I can't believe you fell off Dead Kids Curve. What's the matter, didn't see it?" Teddy started laughing.

Bailey's head shot up and she said, sounding angry and tired, "God damn it Teddy!" She said loudly, then lowered her voice. "I didn't fall of Dead Kids Curve. I'm not as stupid as people think I am, okay? So just shut up."

Bailey pulled the covers up a little higher, laid back against the headboard and closed her eyes.

"Then what happened?" Gordie asked her.

At first she started to shake her head. Then she opened her eyes and looked me directly in the eye.

We held that gaze until I finally got the hint. "It was my brother." I whispered, my eyes still locked with hers.

She then looked down and started to play with the sheets. "Him…and the rest of the Cobras." She said softly.

"Are you serious?" Vern asked.

She looked at him. "No, I'm lying. I did this to myself." She said sarcastically.

"Why?" I asked, though not one of the smartest questions.

She shrugged. "Because I'm the weakest one, I guess. They did it to get back at us for the whole Ray Brower thing. I was there and I guess they just thought of me as an easy target." She shrugged again.

I shook my head. "They shouldn't have done that."

"Well they did." She snapped.

"But you're a girl." Gordie said.

Her eyes opened wider and she waved her good hand sarcastically. "So you finally noticed."

Trust me, we had noticed…or at least I had.

But what she was saying and how she was saying it was slightly weird. She wasn't being herself. She looked jumpy and scared of everything.

Then something hit me. Something triggered my memories and made me think of Frank, my oldest brother. And how he was doing time for raping a girl.

I got this strange feeling that went all through me. I'd have to ask her about it. I just had a bad feeling. And if Richard had…I don't know what would happen.

We stayed in there with Bailey until she was almost asleep. Right before we all left, Gordie gave me an obvious look, so I hung back as the guys left. Then I sighed and closed the door. I turned to her. She was watching me.

"What's wrong?" She asked me.

I sat down on the bed. She sat up and waited.

"Did…" I started. "Did my brother…_do_ anything to you?"

She looked at me like I was crazy. "Have you seen me recently?" She asked.

I shook my head. "Not like that. I meant…did he do anything…like…_Frank_." I whispered.

Her eyes got real wide and for a second, I felt complete and total dread.

But then her eyes went back to their normal size and she relaxed slightly. "No Chris." She told me. "He didn't do anything else. None of them did. I swear."

I sighed in relief. "Good."

She nodded. "Yeah, and don't worry. I didn't tell anyone that I was beat up. I told everyone I had fallen down the hill. I even threw my bike down it so if anyone looked, they'd find it."

I shook my head. "You didn't have to do that."

She shrugged. "I planned on playing the pity card and making one of you get it for me." She smiled.

I looked down. "I'm sorry. We should have seen it coming. They've been _nice_ to us. We should have realized it!" I was beginning to get angry.

She reached over and took my hand, squeezing it. "I'm going to be okay Chris." She told me, looking from our hands to my face.

For a second, I almost leaned forward and kissed her. I had just gotten chills up and down my spine. But I couldn't kiss her. It was against the rules. And with our luck, one of two things would happen. One was I'd hurt her and two was the guys would see us.

"Promise?" I asked, finally finding my voice.

She nodded.

"A promise doesn't count unless you say it." I reminded her.

"I promise Christopher Jude Chambers." She smirked as she said my full name because she knew I didn't like it a whole lot.

I looked at her then. I mean really looked. And even though she was badly bruised, cut, had bandages on her, and her arm was in a sling, she still made me feel really funny.

Then it hit me. Hard. Like a freight train coming at you going 100 miles an hour.

I loved her.


	24. Chapter 24

Notes: Hooray for chapter twenty-four. I only have 16 chapters left to write. This chapter is a little pointless, but I was in that kind of mood. Even if I have all the chapters planned out, Ha-ha. But, this chapter isn't that best. The next one is better and the one after that is another _WHAM! never saw it coming_ one. Oh, and whoever is my 100th reviewer, you get a BIG thank you and a mention here! So, go crazy. Fight over it. Make me happy. LOL. Yes, I did just say LOL.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_Whenever, wherever baby  
You'll protect me  
No matter what  
Hold me tight with all your might  
__And you'll never let me go  
Protecting me  
-__Protecting Me, Aly & AJ_

**Bailey's POV**

Mrs. Duchamp handed me one of my pain pills that Dr. Clarkson had given me the day before. "If you take one now, you'll have to wait four hours until you can take the next one, okay?"

I nodded as I took the pill and the glass of orange juice. "Thank you." I took it and chugged the orange juice. I was starving. That and my _entire body hurt_!

"I called your mother this morning and told her about you so she wouldn't worry."

My eyes widened and I gulped.

"I want you to stay here until I get home. I'm working a double-shift, but I don't, want you going home alone like this. Even if the boys were to go with you. I get off at seven, so I'll come straight home and take you home myself, all right?"

Mrs. Duchamp could talk so fast, I don't think I comprehended half of the things she just said. But I nodded.

She left soon after that and I groaned as I got out of bed. At first, I thought about changing out of my pajama pants and my shirt, which in reality, I think, was Chris'. But I took a look in the mirror and decided that brushing my hair and teeth would be enough.

I looked like I had been hit by a car.

I wish I had been. I reached into my pack (I don't remember coming to Teddy's with it) and pulled my brushes out. I brushed my hair slowly, thinking.

My thoughts kind of jumped around a lot. But the last thing thought before someone knocked on the door was about my hair. "What?" I called.

"Can I come in?" It was Gordie.

"Yeah."

Gordie came in and said, "Are you hungry?"

I turned to him. "You have no idea how hungry I am."

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"My arm and my nose hurt, but other than that, fine."

He nodded. "We'll be in the kitchen if you need us." And he left, closing the door behind him.

I thought back to last night. I had been kind of a bitch to the guys. But, shrugging, I made my way out to the hall and into the bathroom to brush my teeth.

After I had finished and put my stuff away, I made my way into the kitchen. From the hallway, I could hear the guys talking, but as soon as I walked in, they stopped and looked at me.

I paused in the doorway. "Don't let me spoil your fun." I told them, sitting down.

"How are you feeling?" Chris asked.

I shrugged again. "Good I guess."

"It looks like you were hit by a truck." Teddy butted in.

"Tell me something I don't know." I threw a balled up napkin at him.

Chris and Gordie exchanged a look that I didn't really like. Looking at Chris reminded me again of last night. He had looked so scared that Eyeball had done something to me like Frank did to that girl up in Portsmouth. I didn't want to think about what that would have done to Chris if Eyeball had followed in Frank's footsteps, but I did. And what I thought up wasn't the greatest thing.

I have a very overactive imagination in case you couldn't tell.

Chris and I also had an odd conversation after that. Without even thinking about it, I grabbed his hand when I was trying to convince him I was okay. It sent shivers up and down my spine like you wouldn't believe.

I went to rub my eye and hit my nose. Tears immediately followed.

I sniffed, and the guys looked at me.

"What?" My voice sounded funny. "I hit my nose. It's not my fault it hurts."

I got up and made myself a bowl of cereal because it's my favorite food. "So, what are you guys doing today?" I asked them as I sat back down.

They all kind of shrugged and Chris said simply, "I guess we'll just stay around here all day with you."

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "Don't make it sound like torture."

He gave me a weird sort of look that caused me to almost spit milk.

A little while later, we were all in the guest room. I was lying on the bed. Gordie was on the chair reading a magazine, and the other three were playing one card game or another. I would have been on the floor playing with the guys, but they had decided that me _resting_ would be better. I was going crazy, so after about an hour of watching them play, I got up and went to my pack and got my notebook out of it, along with a pencil.

"I don't think that would be resting." Gordie told me without looking up.

"Yeah, well, if I don't do something soon I'm going to go mad." I told him.

I sat back on the bed and leaned against the headboard.

After a few minutes, I wrote at the top of the page: _We don't have to try to think the same thoughts. We just have a way of knowing everything's gonna be okay. We'll laugh 'til we cry, read each others minds. Live with a smile. Make it all worthwhile._

"Hey you guys?" I asked without looking up.

They all made noises to show that they were listening.

I paused before asking. Then I sucked it up and flat out asked, "What do you think I'd look like with curly hair? Not a lot of curls like…Tally Rodgers, but…you know." I pulled a piece of my hair into my eye sight to look at it.

I looked up to see them all looking at me funny. "What?" I asked. "Aren't I allowed to be curious?"

"Are you going to become a girl on us?" Vern asked.

I gave him a weird look, and then looked down at myself. "I think I've been a girl the entire time, thanks."

"Yeah, but next thing you know you'll be wearing dresses and dating boys and _kissing_." Vern said, getting all hyped up.

I couldn't help but laugh at him. "Vern, I haven't thought about doing any of the things yet." So what if I was lying? They weren't big lies, that's for sure.

"But you've already kissed Chris and you were trying on clothes at Rosabella's."

I pointed my finger at him and made a weird noise with my throat as Gordie threw a magazine at him.

"You what?" Teddy started laughing.

"It's not funny!" I told him. I glared at Vern. "You promised."

"Sorry." He looked down.

I sighed. It was hard to be mad at Vern. He just looked so weak and defenseless. "It's okay." I told him.

I turned to Teddy and Chris. "Yes, I was caught trying on clothes in Rosalina's. But I didn't buy anything. So let's move on."

I turned back to Vern. "And, if you remember, I didn't kiss Chris because I wanted too." Oh, but now I want to, trust me. "It was a dare."

Teddy laughed again. "I can't believe you wore girl clothes!" He had to stop because he was laughing to hard.

After he had calmed down, he said, "I'm never going to let this go." He told me.

I looked at Gordie. "What did I say?" I turned to Chris. "Let me guess, you want to see me in a skort, huh?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. You _are_ a girl after all."

I let out a short, loud laugh. "I knew it!" I pointed at Gordie. "See, I told you."

We were silent for a few minutes, when I said, "You guys never answered my question."

They all looked at me. "Me…with curly hair. You know, forget it. I'll just draw myself with it and see what it's like."

We all went back to doing what we were doing before. I couldn't concentrate, so I spent some time, rewriting the quote in a few different ways.

Later that night, Mrs. Duchamp took me home. After she left, I got quite an earful from my mother about being dumb enough to fall down the hill.

By the end of the night, I was not in the best of moods.


	25. Chapter 25

Notes: Okay, here's chapter twenty-five. Enjoy. I may not be able to upload anymore until Wednesday, so don't be upset if that happens. Um…about this chapter…all I can say is ignore the errors. The next chapter is kind of cute though, so look out for that.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well.  
__Here's to the nights we felt alive  
__Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry  
__Here's to goodbye  
__Tomorrow's gonna come too soon  
__-Here's To The Night, Eve 6_

It was about two or three weeks later when I found myself walking from my house to the treehouse with Chris. We were meeting Gordie and Teddy and then heading to Vern's.

The guys haven't let me go anywhere alone the whole time. It was driving me crazy. It was over. There was a ninety-nine point eight percent chance that something like this would never happen again.

Unfortunately, I was the only one who believed that.

Chris came to get me at three-thirty. I wasn't too thrilled about having an escort and they all knew it. I complained about it every time they were around.

"I could have walked to the tree myself." I told Chris. "I'm not helpless."

He sighed. He was used to this, but I imagine it as getting old. And fast. "I know. We won't be doing this forever. Just until you get your cast off."

"Swear?" I asked, looking over at him.

He looked at me. "I swear." He laughed and shook his head.

"What?" I was getting tired of being laughed at for no reason.

He shook his head again. "Nothing. You just look really bad."

I didn't know whether to be mad or not. "Um…what?"

"You do look like you've been hit by a truck."

I laughed a little, because I knew it was true. "It happens." I touched my nose carefully. It still hurt like a bitch. "I didn't know broken bones could hurt so much."

Chris nodded, and then his eyes seemed to slide out of focus, like he was falling into his memories. I hit his arm and he looked over at me.

"Don't do that." I told him. "It's scary."

He nodded again. "At least your casts will be off before school."

"Yeah, that's the only good thing about them." I narrowed my eyes in anger, sadness, shame, humiliation, etc.

Chris grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop.

"What?" I asked.

He stood there for a second, looking at me for a minute before saying, "Listen, Bailey. I'm really sorry about what Ri-"

"Just forget it." I whispered, and I started walking again.

"How?" He said from behind me.

The intensity of his voice made me stop and look back at him. "Easy." I told him. "Every time you have the urge to talk about it, don't."

He walked up beside me. "Why don't you ever talk about your feelings?" He asked.

His question shocked me.

I thought about it for a second. It was a good question. Too bad I didn't have a good answer. Why didn't I? I mean, the guys talked about emotions more than I did. I don't think that's the way it was supposed to be. Why did I keep my feelings hidden all the time? Probably because I liked the _I have no problems, my life is swell_ front I put up for the world.

Why didn't I tell the guys everything? Best friends mean you don't have secrets from each other, didn't it? But, there must be things we don't tell each other, right? Is having some surprises the foundation for a healthy friendship?

I don't even know what friendship means anymore. Both ideas make total sense.

My eyes slipped back into focus. I looked at Chris and simply said, "I don't know. Maybe because I want to be remembered as the girl who always smiles even when her heart is broken and is the one that could always brighten up your day, even if she couldn't brighten her own." I shrugged.

"That's not very happy." He told me as we started walking again.

"I know." I said.

We pretty much walked in silence the rest of the way there. We were both lost in our own thoughts.

Right as we passed Mrs. Griffith's house, I stopped.

Chris walked on a little bit, then, realizing I wasn't there next to him, stopped and turned around.

I pointed at the sidewalk. "I think that's my blood." I told him, without looking at him.

Chris walked back to me and looked. The spot wasn't big, but it was definitely my blood. "This is where I was tackled, when I broke my arm."

"It's a good thing Mrs. Griffith was home then." Was all he said.

I nodded.

My blood wouldn't be there forever would it? I hoped not.

Chris and I made our way to the tree, and then fifteen minutes later made our way to Vern's.

The guys decided to go swimming, like usual. Even though I had told them it was okay to swim without me, I still didn't like it.

I loved to swim. I don't know how I was going to live.

"I hate you guys. I love swimming." I told them as we walked to the pond/lake thing.

"We won't swim long." Gordie said, though it sounded like a lie.

"Whatever." I told them. "Just don't splash me and get my cast wet. My mom's plenty mad that I was dumb enough to 'fall down that big hill' and that now she has to pay hospital bills. I don't need that added to my long list of problems."

I could literally see Teddy's face fall. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him.

The guys jumped in as I sat on the dock, my feet in the water.

After a while, Teddy told the guys, "I think I'm going to ask Sabrina Parker out this year." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Chris splashed him.

"Why?" I asked from the dock.

Teddy laughed. "She has a _nice_ rack." He smirked.

"Please." I said. "You can't only want to date her for her boobs"

Teddy wiggled his eyebrows again.

"Oh my God!" I yelled. Then my head sudden began to hurt really badly. I made a weird noise and held my head.

"Are you okay?" Gordie asked.

I put more pressure on my head. "His stupid just sucked all the air out of everywhere." I told them. "I'll be fine."

They continued to swim and goof off as I watched. They were all careful not to splash me.

A little while later, they got out and we headed up to the house.

* * *

Okay. I'm only going to do this once or twice, so, here goes.

**Kyra Moonmist:** Thank you for being my 100th review. I hope you like this chapter as well.

**Nightcrawlerlover:** Here you go. I hope you like it. Hope I outdo myself again!

**Sam (for both recent reviews):** I think you misread. On chapter twenty-three's notes it said twenty-four was the cute chapter. And I don't have it planned when Bailey becomes like the rest of the Veiw Preps. So, it's okay, breathe :)

**Embry:** Thank you for not hating my OFC. When I first posted this, I was scare that everyone would hate her. But I've gotten 105 positive reviews, so I guess I'm doing something right, huh?

**Chemy:** Yes, Bailey is going a little more girly, but not enough to worry the reader. There's a special surprise for chapter 35. Yes, I do have it planned, thanks.

Don't forget to review!


	26. Chapter 26

Notes: Hooray for updates. I'm sorry I didn't update earlier. I have to study for finals and stuff. It sucks. But, two notes on this chapter. One is, like usual, ignore the errors. I do my best. The second note is Bailey's going to become a real OC girl (maybe even borderline marysue) in this chapter and in chapters twenty-nine thru thirty-two. But she'll be back to normal. I only have eleven more chapters to write! I'm so excited!  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_It might have appeared to go unnoticed,  
But I've got it all here in my heart.  
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.  
I would be nothing without you.  
Did you ever know that you're my hero?  
You're everything I wish I could be.  
I could fly higher than an eagle,  
For you are the wind beneath my wings.  
__-Wing Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler_

After we ate dinner, we were all sitting around, when the guys got the usual looks on their faces.

I shook my head. "I'm not playing Truth or Dare. You can play with yourselves."

Chris and Gordie laughed at that. I guess I should have thought that sentence out before I said anything.

"You can't play Truth or Dare with just guys!" Teddy exclaimed.

"Then I guess you won't be laying down. Last time we played, you made me kiss Chris. I'm playing the pity card here."

Teddy gave me a defeated puppy look. I sighed. "Next time, I'll play okay? I pick dare in advance. Better?"

Teddy let out his laugh and nodded.

"I don't think you know what you've gotten yourself into." Gordie told me.

I gave a small laughed. "I have a good idea."

We sat around that night, just like that night those few year ago when we went on our little adventure, and talked. It occurred to me then that it was very possible that this would be one of the last times we. The real question was: how many of these summers would we have left together?

I tried not to think about the answer. I need t just live in the moment. Screw the future, I should just deal with that stuff when the time comes. Too bad I wasn't like that at all.

A little while later, the topic was turned back to girls and boobs.

I just shook my head and put it in my hand as I watched the guys talk.

About five minutes later, the conversation got turned to me.

"I can't believe you care about what you wear." Teddy said, looking like he might start laughing at any given moment.

I shrugged. "It's encoded into female DNA." I told him. Whether or not that was true was one thing. But none of them would probably remember that I said it in ten years.

…if we were friends that long.

I mentally kicked myself for thinking that. I tuned back into the conversation to hear, "…ever lays their hand on you, you better tell us."

I looked up at Chris. "What the hell?"

"If a guy ever does anything to you, you better tell us so we can take care of it." He said.

I almost started to laugh. "You don't need to do that. I can take care of myself. Remember when I punched Teddy in the face back in fifth grade? I'll just do that."

They kept on about the dumb subject.

"Fine time to realize I'm a girl." I mumbled.

They just laughed in response.

An hour or two later, we went into the tent and went to bed.

I had a horrible nightmare that night. Truth be told, I had been haven't nightmares since I 'fell.' Halfway through the dream, the guys became Valerie. They all did. And she started telling me how everything was my fault. How our places should have been switched. Really horrible things. And I started crying. At least in my dream. But you know how sometimes you're crying in your dream, only to wake up crying in reality?

Apparently, that's what happened.

I was on the edge of consciousness and sleep, the affects of the dream in full force, me still crying, when I heard Chris' voice. It sounded so far away, I thought I was dreaming it. A bunch of images flashed in front of me and suddenly, I was sitting up quickly. It was then that I realized I was crying.

I had sat up directly beside Chris, who was sitting so close to me, I could practically feel him breathing.

"Bailey He started.

I sniffled, and without even thinking, I threw my arms around him and continue crying.

"Bia, what's wrong."

"Shut up." I told him. "And hug me." I whispered.

He wrapped his arms around my waist. The rest of the guys were asleep. Apparently, my little freak out hadn't woken them up.

Which was good.

I didn't know if I could stand them all staring at me like I was an attraction at the circus.

Chris tightened his grip on me and whispered, "Are you okay?"

I swallowed and tried to calm myself. Fearing that my voice would crack and send my into the waterworks again, I nodded slowly.

"You sure?" He asked.

I pulled back a little to look at him. I didn't want him to let go. As lame as it sounds, I felt _safe_ with him.

"I'm sorry." I told him.

He smiled. "When I asked about your feelings, I didn't think this would happen."

I let out a small, short laugh. "Yeah, me either."

I wiped my eyes. "Sorry I woke you up."

Chris shrugged, then asked again, "Are you okay now?"

It was my turn to shrug. "I don't know."

"It must have been some dream."

I frowned. "You have no idea."

We sat, still semi-hugging, for a few minutes. I was finally calm

"Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"

I looked up at Chris. His question shocked me. Things like that have never crossed my mind before.

I nodded a little to fast.

I laid down and he laid next to me. We had been next to each other before we went to sleep, but now he was laying closer, and I was almost sick, the butterflies were going into overdrive. I looked up at him. "Good night." I whispered.

He nodded as I closed my eyes.

I slept through the night without another bad dream, which was good because I didn't think I could handle another breakdown.

The next morning, I woke up wondering why what I was laying on was moving. I looked and it turned out I was laying on Chris. I blinked a few times, then the nights events flooded back. I remembered the dream, the crying, and the hugging. I went to sit up and I actually had to remove my hand from his.

Yes, I said it. Christopher Jude Chambers and I had somehow moved in the middle of the night and somehow I ended up using him as a pillow and holding his hand.

The mental image would be burned into my mind forever.

Luckily, no one else was up yet. So I moved slowly so I wouldn't wake him, and laid a little further away from him. If the guys would have woken up before us, they would have had a field day with it.

A little while later, everyone else woke up. As we headed for the pond/lake thing, Chris didn't say anything. About the crying or the way we had slept. I don't think he knew about the sleeping thing though. And I planned on keeping it that way.

But that was one of the things I loved about Chris. He wouldn't tell the rest of the guys about my crying fit. There would be no knowing glances, no mysterious questions or conversations.

He'd probably ask me about it later, when the others weren't around but I could handle that.

…

I think.


	27. Chapter 27

Notes: All of these chapters add up to the moment everyone screams FINALLY!! I'm uploading this now because I have finals Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday I'll upload twenty-eight, okay? Ignore the errors. When I first planned this, she coughed up blood after being hit in the neck from a ball, but I obviously changed it because it was to out there. I hope you like it.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_I'm quiet you know  
You make a first impression  
I've found I'm scared to know  
__I'm always on your mind  
Even the best fall down sometimes  
Even the stars refuse to shine  
Out of the back you fall in time  
I somehow find  
You and I collide  
__-Collide, Howie Day_

"I love boy-girl gym!" I told the guys as I came out of the girls locker room almost a month later.

Why yes, I did just skip more than a month of story. But nothing exciting happened. Chris did talk to me about my nightmare freak out that morning back in July. I told him half truths. I'd never tell them about Valerie.

Ever.

My casts came off before school, just like the guys had said. But that didn't stop Vicky Alter (remember her? She's Shannon sister. Eyeball's girlfriend.) from saying something.

I would have punched her if the guys hadn't been right there to drag me away from her.

So everyone started talking about it. Though the stories they told were more interesting than what had actually happened. So I didn't say anything. Let them think I was some big-time hero or something.

The guys, on the other hand, didn't really like the rumors, since they know what had really happened and why, but they didn't say anything either.

"Yes Bia, we know." Gordie said as our gym teacher, Mr. Parkton, came in.

He told us that we would be playing Team Handball, single-handedly my favorite sport. I smiled as the rest of the girls groaned and slowly moved to the back.

"Lachance, Hirsch, captains. Let's go!" Mr. Parkton called.

Mr. Parkton had this thing, that when it came to picking teams, one captain was female, one was male. You get the idea.

Gordie and some girl who's name I think was Sally went to the front. Sally got to pick first, since she was a girl. So of course, she picked her friend. Gordie picked Chris, of course. But Chris could play Handball like nobody's business. Like me. Haha.

Then, for some reason, Sally and her friend picked Teddy. As he stood up, he turned and wiggled his eyebrows at me. I laughed and rolled my eyes.

Gordie picked me, like he should have. The girls all gave me the same look. You know, the _ohmigod, what are you smiling about_ look. The only one that staring at me like I was a freak was Molly Evans. She actually waved at me a little. Slightly confused at her friendly gesture, I could only smile and nod in response.

Vern, who from what I was told was usually picked last, wasn't picked last! He was on Teddy's team, but that's not the point.

Chris and some kid named Spencer Bloom jumped for the ball to get the game started., Which was good because I was getting impatient.

Usually I was the goalie in gym, even in the other schools, but Gordie saw the look on my face when he started his sentence and he told some other kid to do it.

We had been playing for a some time when Gordie, who was currently the goalie, had the ball.

"Gordie!" I yelled as I clapped my hands once. He saw me and threw the ball.

I went for the ball, and so did about six other people.

We all fell into each other when the unthinkable happened.

Someone, namely Todd Kirk, had the nerve to…touch me.

Yes, he did touch my chest.

At first I thought it was an accident, but then he smirked about it. There was no mistake.

I felt so violated. And so angry.

Before we all got up, I pulled my arm back and punched him straight in the face. His mouth started to bleed. I felt better. A lot better.

Mr. Parkton saw blood and blew his whistle.

"What happened?" Mr. Parkton asked Todd.

Todd looked at me for a split second, then had the nerve to say, "Chambers punched me!"

"What?!" All five of us yelled at the same time. Chris had been in the pile, sure, but why would Todd lie like that?

"Chambers, detention. Next time you won't be so lucky. Marini, take Kirk to the nurse."

The two of them left. I turned to Chris. "I'm telling Mr. Parkton the truth."

I turned to walk away when he grabbed my arm. "Don't. I don't want you getting in trouble."

I held up my hand, which actually had a small bit of blood on it. "I just punched Todd Kirk in the mouth. I can't let you get detention for who knows how long because of something this stupid."

"Let it go." Chris said, sounding…tired? I don't know, I guess.

"I can't-" The look on Chris' face made me stop and nod. He looked mad. Which was scary because we had never been mad at each other seriously in our entire lives.

I nodded carefully. Chris sighed, then his features softened. "If I'm doing your time, at least tell me why you hit him."

I wiped my hand on my gym shorts. Then I turned in time to see the ball coming. I caught it before it hit me in the face and threw it to someone, I don't know who. "If we don't pay attention, we're going to get hit."

And I dropped the conversation. Chris let it drop until after gym. We were going from the locker rooms to my locker on our way to Music when he asked me again. And he kept it up until I turned to him and said loudly (luckily, no one heard me because it's always so loud in the hallways anyway), "Because he touched me." I mad angry gestures towards my chest. Chris actually looked down and then his eyes got wide. "No he didn't."

"You're right." I said sarcastically. "I'm lying."

Chris got the angry look on his face again. "I'm going to kill him."

I sighed. "Don't do that. Then you'll go to jail and become somebody's bitch." I closed my locker and we walked to the music room.

He paused, the said, "That's the strangest thing I've ever heard."

I shrugged. "It's true though." I looked over at him. He was looking at me funny. "I'll wait for you. I'll be in the Art room. Come by when your time's up okay?"

Chris nodded as he opened the music room door and held it for me. I smiled like a loon and fake curtsied. He bowed and, laughing, we walked in and sat down.


	28. Chapter 28

Notes: Yes, I am updating this instead of studying for my math final tomorrow. But then again, how much can you really study for math? Not that much, at least for me. And because I'm such a nice person, at the end of this chapter will be a little blurb of twenty-nine. Nothing to revealing, but something fun to keep you guessing. As for any errors, ignore them. PS. From chapter twenty-nine to chapter thirty-two, Bailey may go really OOC/OC/MS. Don't be mad.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_May he turn 21 on the base at Fort Bliss  
"Just a day," he said down to the flask in his fist,  
"Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year."  
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,  
But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,  
Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it.  
-Breathe (2 am), Anna Nalick_

By lunch, Chris had, indirectly, told the rest of the guys, much to my embarrassment.

Teddy found it funny that someone would want to touch me there. Gordie threw some of his grapes at him. Gordie didn't find it funny at all. In fact, he told me I should go to the principal about him. I told him that if it happened again I'd go and he accepted that. Vern didn't really say anything. He looked a little mad about everything, but he also seemed to find it funny.

Teddy told Chris that he was crazy to get in trouble for me. Gordie looked over at Chris and they made eye contact for less then a second before the bell rang and we had to go to our next classes. I had science with Teddy and Vern. Teddy was still laughing about the entire conversation when we sat down. When the teacher wasn't looking, I threw a balled up piece of paper at his head. He finally shut up about it and let me pay attention.

After science was super advanced college level math with Chris and a whole group of kids that stared at us like we were freaks.

Well…truth be told, they were looking at Chris and only at me because I was his best friend.

As soon as we entered the room, some of the people already there started to whisper. Because heaven forbid a Chambers try to get out of Castle Rock and become something better. No one wanted to believe he was serious because he wore a leather jacket and boots and came from a bad family.

As soon as they started, Chris got a real weird look on his face. I turned to him and said, "Don't let them get to you; you're better than they are."

Chris shook his head. "Okay." You could tell he didn't believe me. The look on his face and his entire attitude was beginning to make me a little angry. So I turned around to face him and said, "You know what your problem is Chris? They say they're better than you and you agree." I turned away from him and looked straight away. From behind me, I could hear him sigh and I immediately felt guilty from snapping at him. I turned back to say something to him, but Ms. Fears came into class and started teaching.

After a few minutes of teaching, Ms. Fears asked Chris a question. What made me upset was that he _knew _the answer, he just wasn't paying attention and he missed it, causing the people around us to laugh.

Some other boy answered the question correctly. I tore a piece of paper from my notebook and wrote on it: _Don't let anyone tell you that you're not that strong enough. Don't give up, there's nothing wrong with just being yourself. That's more than enough._

When the teacher wasn't looking, I dropped it on his desk. I heard him open it and a few seconds later, fold it up again.

After class ended, I turned to him as I gathered up my books. "Are you okay?" I asked.

Chris looked up at me and smiled. "Yeah."

I nodded. "Remember, I'll be in the art room."

We were walking out when Chris asked, "You're still waiting for me?"

"Of course. Just don't forget." I told him.

"I won't." He promised as we split up.

I went to my locker, got my stuff, and headed to the room.

When I walked in, I was greeted by Ms. Neilson.

"Is it alright if I work for a little bit?" I asked her.

She, who Ms. Williams must have been friends with because the first day Ms. Neilson started talking to me about stuff like Mrs. Williams had, smiled and said that it was fine.

I sat in the seat I usually sat in during class. My back was to the door, but it was closed and no one was going to come in here after school.

It was only three minutes later that Ms. Nielson left and, right before she locked the door, she told me to just turn off the lights and close the door behind me.

When she was gone, I turned back to the paper in front of me. It was blank. I had no idea what to draw.

Without thinking about much, I put my hand to the paper and I started drawing. I didn't know what it was at first. First it was just some trees and a triangle.

After about ten or fifteen minutes, I realized what I was drawing.

It was me and Chris. That night in June when I had the bad dream. But it was the next morning. When we were holding hands and I was using him as a pillow.

I stared at it for a second, and then I kept drawing. I looked up at the clock. It was five minutes to three. All I had to do was get rid of it before three-thirty.

Ten minutes later, when I was almost done with the picture, someone said from behind me, "What are you drawing?"

My arms flew up to cover the picture. I knew who that voice belonged to. My head snapped up and I said shrilly, "Chris, what are you doing here? It's not three-thirty yet!"

He shrugged. "Mr. Jonas' wife went into labor. He had to leave, so we got out early." He tried to look around my arms to see what I was drawing. "So, what is it?"

I tried to cover more of it. "Nothing."

Chris laughed and pretended to be uninterested. And I fell for it. Just as soon as my guard was down, he went for it.

I tried to save it, but he poked me in the sides a few times, my only weakness, and he finally got it away from me.

I got up and tried to get it back, but he held it above his head. And since he was a good deal taller than I was, I gave up. I sunk back into my chair and put my face in my hands. Our friendship was over.

Chris didn't say anything for a few moments. When I finally had the nerve to look up at him, he was still looking at the picture. He sensed me looking and glanced up. "Is this us?" He asked.

I started biting my thumbnail as I nodded slowly.

"When?" He asked.

I sighed and looked away. "The night I had that really bad dream at Vern's."

"I don't remember this." He said.

"You were still asleep when I woke up. That's how we were." I whispered.

Then he completely surprised me by saying, "Can I keep this?"

I looked up at him sharply. "Huh?"

"Can I keep it?" He repeated.

I thought of all the reason's Chris would want to keep it. And only one made me not worry.

"Are you going to show it to anyone?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Not even the guys?" I would die if he did.

"No one."

I sighed a little, and then smiled. "Okay, you can keep it."

"One more thing." He told me.

"What?" I asked, feeling sick.

Chris held it out to me and said simply, "Sign it."

I looked at him for a second, then took it about wrote (in _cursive_)

_Bailey Kristine Warnock_

And handed it back to him. Chris smiled and put it away before we walked home.

* * *

Part from chapter twenty-nine:

_"Since when don't you stand up for me?" I said back, before turning to walk away again._

_"What were we supposed to do?" Chris asked. I stopped to look at him. "You never told us."_

_"It was none of your business."_

Nice little part that will keep you on your toes. I'll probably upload it tomorrow or Thursday.

Don't forget to review!!!!


	29. Chapter 29

Notes: Hooray for Bailey going Marysue!! Actually, its not cool at all. I needed her to have some problem and this was all I could think up. don't be mad. This probably isn't my best chapter. Ignore the errors while we're on the subject. All I will say is this "episode" won't last long because I just wrote the chapter everyone will scream NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…! And so on. Expect an update tomorrow sometime. Happy readings.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_Sometimes you wonder if  
__This fight is worthwhile  
The precious moments are  
__All lost in the tide, yeah  
They're swept away and  
__Nothing is what it seems  
The feeling of belonging  
__To your dreams  
__-Listen To Your Heart, DHT_

About a week later, I was cleaning my room. It was a Friday and I had nothing else to do. Chris never did tell the others. Usually I'd say that if he did, they didn't say anything, but I know that if he knew, Teddy would make a huge deal out of it and then I'd go to jail because I would've killed him.

Anyway, back to what I was talking about before.

Did you know that I had a shirt that had once belonged to Vern? Yeah, me neither. But I do because I found it against the wall, under my bed. While I was cleaning, though, I came across a shoebox that was in the back corner of my closet.

Slowly, I opened it. Inside was a bunch of pictures and some newspaper articles. The first thing was a photo of me, my mom, my dad and my sister. I was just a little baby. That was before dad dead, or left, or whatever. Maybe both. But we looked _happy_. The next thing was a picture of me and Valerie. It was when we were in Pennsylvania. There was a photo of mom and dad in there too. It was their wedding picture. And one of me and Chris when we were really little. Valerie must have taken it for us.

I took out all of the pictures and put them aside. Then something caught my eye. I pulled out a newspaper article. Tears immediately came to my eyes when I read the title:

**Teen Girl Killed In Car Accident**

I blinked back the tears and tried to put it back, but I kept rereading it. I couldn't stop, just like when it had really happened. And I couldn't stop myself from looking at the picture of the car.

What kind of insensitive jerk would put a picture like that in a newspaper where relatives could see it?

I looked in and realized I had two copies of the same article, which struck me as weird, because I didn't remember cutting two out.

Shrugging, I put the pictures back in the box and put the box back in the closet. After I shut my closet, I took the article and laid on my bed.

Not long after that, I fell asleep.

Yeah, I had a few bad dreams that night. But I'm not going to complain about them. I woke up the next morning to my mom coming home. I rolled out of bed. I got dressed and all the usual morning routine stuff in a daze. I was meeting the guys at the treehouse in a few minutes and I tried to snap out of it. But I couldn't.

I grabbed my notebook, and without even thinking, I grabbed the article as well.

I was more than halfway to the treehouse when I realized I had it. But I didn't want to go back, so I shoved it inside my notebook and kept going.

I got there, climbed the ladder, and did the knock, though it wasn't a hundred percent perfect.

"Vern, we told you-"

"It's not Vern." I interrupted. "It's Bailey."

The trapdoor immediately opened. I climbed up and sat in my usual chair. "Hey." I said to Chris and Teddy, the only two there. "Where are Gordie and Vern?"

"Gordie and his parents went to see his aunt up in Portland." Chris said.

"And Vern's somewhere." Teddy added.

I nodded before opening my notebook. We were all silent, except for the random little words said. The guys were playing Slapjack and I was staring at a blank sheet of paper.

We did that for about fifteen minutes before someone knocked on the trapdoor.

We all looked at each other before Teddy yelled, "Who is it?"

"Vern." Said the voice, and he sounded sad.

Chris moved the makeshift card table and opened the door and Vern came up. He looked upset.

"What's up?" Apparently, Chris had seen it too.

Vern sighed, and then said, "Do you guys remember my cousin Jenna? She…" Vern stopped for a second, the said softly, "She died."

We all kind of looked at him for a few moments…or minutes…or hours. I don't really know…

Then suddenly, I started talking. And it was the type where I talk a whole lot really quickly. It was kind of frightening, but also really bad because the guys knew when I did that, something wasn't right.

"Oh Vern, I'm so sorry! We all know what it's like to lose someone. Is there anything we can do?"

Before he could answer, Teddy threw down his cards, looking angry. "Bailey, you have no idea what it's like. Things like this have never happened to you."

I almost choked. "You're wrong." I told him.

He gave me a look. "Your life's too perfect. The only thing wrong with it is that you never see your mother."

I looked at Chris and Vern for help, but they both looked away.

As calmly as I could, I pulled out the newspaper article. Then I shoved it at him. "You know nothing about me." I whispered before leaving.

I was near the post office when I heard someone behind me but I didn't care. How _dare_ Teddy say something like that to me? What made it worse was that Chris or Vern hadn't bothered to stand up for me. They couldn't have thought I was so perfect. Chris _knows_ me so much better than that…or at least I had thought so. I guess I was wrong.

"Bailey!" I didn't even turn around. I knew who it was and what he wanted.

And I didn't care anymore.

"Bailey." Chris grabbed my arm and tugged me to a stop.

"Don't touch me Chambers." I snapped, tearing my arm from his grasp.

"Since when do you call me Chambers?"

"Since when don't you stand up for me?" I said back, before turning to walk away again.

"What were we supposed to do?" Chris asked. I stopped to look at him. "You never told us."

"It was none of your business."

He looked at me for a moment or two before he held out his hand. "Skin it."

I cracked my knuckles before turning and continued walking away.

"Bia!" Chris called.

I couldn't take it anymore. I turned to him and shouted, "I don't need you anymore!"

I had no idea why I said that, because it wasn't true. And right after those words left my mouth; I wanted to take them back. I was pissed, sure, but saying that just seemed like going too far.

"I know." He told me. "We need you." He paused. _"I need you."_

The way he said it almost broke my heart. So why I retorted with "I don't care anymore." is a mystery for the ages.

He gave me a look that was a mixture of fear, sadness and _anger _before I turned back around and walked away.


	30. Chapter 30

Notes: Oh my god, there was such a huge mix-up. I got so mad. Okay, this is the real chapter 30. I'm uploading this one, 31 and 32 today. 33 and 34 tomorrow, 35, 36, and 37 Saturday. 38, 39 and 40 on Sunday and 41, 42, and 43 on Monday and that's it. It'll be over ::sniffle:: Ignore the errors.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

* * *

_If I am  
Only here to watch you as you suffer,  
I will let you down...  
So you're walking on the edge,  
And you wait your turn to fall.  
But you're so far gone,  
That you don't see the hands upheld to catch you.  
__-If I Am, Nine Days_

My alarm woke me up that Monday morning. I shut it off and debated staying home that day. But nothing was wrong with me and today would be the day my mom would want to know. The only thing wrong was I felt so horrible about the way I had acted on Saturday. All I could feel was complete and total dread for school because I had at least one of them in every one of my classes and I had a feeling that they hated me or a feeling close to it.

I got dressed and was careful not to wear one of their shirts because that just could have been bad.

I walked to school by myself. I usually did, but it seemed lonelier. I guess it was because I knew that no one would be waiting for me once I got there.

I walked through the main door and headed to my locker. So far, I hadn't seen any of them. The dread feeling was becoming worse.

I hurried to homeroom because I wanted to be there before they were, but it didn't work. The four of them were sitting in our usual group of desks. They all looked up at me and for a second we stared at each other before I looked away and sat in a different seat.

Molly Evans and two of her friends sat at the cluster of desks I was at. After a little while of listening to them talk, Molly turned to me and asked, "So Bailey, are you excited for gym?"

I looked up at her, confused at first as to why she'd be talking to me, but then I shrugged and replied sarcastically, "Oh yeah, totally."

One of her friends laughed at that. Then Molly asked, "Why aren't you with your friends?"

I sighed. I had seen the question coming. "We had a fight." I said simply.

"Must have been some fight." Molly's friend said, sounding sorry for me.

I shrugged. "It was, but we'll get over it…hopefully." I added as the bell rang and we left for gym.

After I got changed, I walked out of the locker room and sat against the bleachers before Mr. Parkton came in and immediately barked out, "Chambers, Evans. Captains. Go."

I smiled slightly at how Mr. Parkton didn't talk in complete sentences. Then I realized that Chris was a captain. That meant I wouldn't be picked until the end.

I had bent down to tie my shoe when I heard Molly's voice call out, "Bailey." I snapped my head up at the same as Chris' and we both looked at her.

"Come on Bailey." Molly waved me up.

I stood up, still slightly confused, and walked over and stood behind her as Chris picked Gordie.

I didn't play as well as I usually did, and it seemed like everyone around me could sense it.

After music, which was the most awkward thing I've ever had to do, was art, a class I was looking forward to.

I sat down in my usual seat and waited for class to start. I noticed someone standing next to me and I looked up.

It was Gordie.

"Hey." He semi-whispered, looking a little uncomfortable.

I gave him a small smile. I didn't really need to be mad at him. He wasn't there when everything went down.

"Can I sit down?" He asked.

I shrugged. "If you want to."

After he sat down, he looked over at me. "I missed a lot huh?"

I laughed bitterly. "You have no idea."

We sat in silence until Ms. Nielson finished talking and let us get to work for our projects that were due by the end of the grading term.

"Are you okay?" Gordie asked.

I looked up a little from my paper and thought for a second. I didn't know the answer to that question. Was I okay? With how I was feeling, I didn't think so.

I shrugged. "I guess. I don't know…" I trialed off.

He looked over at me. I could see him do it from the corner of my eye. I looked over at him slightly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

I shook my head gently. "No." I tried to sound strong and secure, but it came out a whisper.

"I remember after Denny died." Gordie told me. "I didn't talk about it to anyone, and one day, I snapped."

I nodded. "I remember." I told him.

"If I didn't have you guys then, I don't know what I would have done." Gordie said. "So…if you ever need any of us, we'll…you know, be there for you."

I laughed mockingly. "Yeah, sure. Teddy, Chris and Vern al probably hate me now. I'm going to be fine." I said, trying more to convince myself than him.

"Just don't do anything stupid." He warned.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm not stupid enough to." I told him.

He gave me a worried look, but he dropped the subject.

Everything was going well…or as well as things can go when you're fighting with your best friends.

Lunch came, the one thing I was dreading the most. I walked in and saw the table we usually ate at. Then I looked around for an empty table and found one in the back started walking to it. I looked down to make sure no one tried to trip me, and when I looked up, I had to stop in my tracks.

Chris was standing in front of me. I had to look up a little to see his face. He had an unreadable look on, and he looked like he was trying to say something, but he didn't.

I could practically feel tears forming. Looking at him was really hard. I couldn't bare it so I blinked a few times, turned while shaking my head gently, and walked around him.

I sat down at the table and looked one last time. He looked back at me and I turned my head. I could feel myself about to cry and I didn't want him to see me like that.

After a few minutes, I looked up again and he was still looking at me. He had a worried look on his face, and something else, I just didn't know what it was.

And at the time, I didn't even care.


	31. Chapter 31

Notes: Another chapter! Go me! Even though I already explained it in the last chapter. I'm so excited. I'm going to finish this story! This is also known as the "Boo ::hiss::" chapter. This is the chapter everyone may start hating her, but she goes back to normal soon, so it's all good. Ignore the errors.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_Into your head  
__Into your mind  
Out of your soul  
__Race through your veins  
You can't escape, you can't escape.  
Into your life  
__Into your dreams  
Out of the dark  
__So light again.  
You can't explain, you can't explain.  
-Rush, Aly & AJ_

It was about a week later. Nothing happened worth mentioning, so I'm skipping to when there was something.

Molly was still talking to me in homeroom and gym, sometimes even lunch. Why she was doing it made me wonder, but it was nice to talk to someone, though she was nothing like the guys used to be.

The only one I had talked to was Gordie, but after a few days, it actually began to hurt to talk to him.

One day during art, I was feeling really down. After not being able to draw anything for a good while, I started.

By the end of class, it was a girl, throwing a rock to break a mirror and around the broken mirror simply said, _"I don't want to remember what I thought we had."_

I bent down to pick up my pencil that had fallen when Gordie looked over to see what I was drawing. I sat up and he moved a little. "Are you _sure_ you're okay?" He asked.

I looked up at Gordie. I didn't say anything, which, by the look on his face, was enough.

I didn't know what to say. No, obviously I wasn't okay. There was something seriously wrong with me, I just had no idea how to fix it. I wanted to stop feeling this way more than anything and more than anyone could imagine.

"Bailey." Gordie said.

I turned to look at him slowly.

"I think you need to talk to someone." He told me.

"I don't need to talk to anyone Gordie. I'm fine."

"No you aren't." He said. "You need us."

I looked away again. "Maybe I do." I told him. "But none of you are there for me when I need you."

The bell rang as Gordie started to say something, but I stood up and walked away.

Right after school, I went to my locker, but the lock wouldn't open until the fifth time I did the combination. By that time, there weren't that many people in the hallway. I got what I needed and headed home.

As soon as I got home, I got the laundry from outside because it was supposed to rain or something.

I brought back in my laundry. I had just set the basket on my bed when I realized I wasn't alone. I turned around.

"How did you get in here?" I asked.

Chris stepped forward into my room. "I used the key from under the flower pot."

Damn, I should have gotten rid of that a long time ago.

"What do you want?" I didn't know how I felt about him being in here.

"Gordie told us that you were going to do something stupid." He said.

"Well, I'm not, so you can leave now." I turned away from him and dumped my laundry out onto the middle of the bed to sort it.

Chris moved forward and sat on my bed like things were all okay. "Not until we talk about this."

"I don't want to." I moved as far away from him as possible and started to fold clothes.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Chris asked in his calm way.

I lowered the shirt I was holding. "Because it was my fault." I whispered so softly that I could barely hear myself.

"What?" He asked.

I threw down the shirt and cried out, "Because it was my fault okay? It's my fault my sister's dead and my mother hates me."

"It's not your fault." He tried.

I started to laugh, which somehow lead to tears. "Yes it is Chris. It should have been me."

"Don't say that." He said quickly.

I let a sob out. "You don't understand. _It should have been me_."

"Don't say that, Bia."

"You really don't understand." I whispered, wiping my eyes quickly.

Chris moved over to where I was and sat down next to me, then made me sit. I was practically sitting on top of him, but I didn't care.

"Tell me what happened." Chris whispered. It was like a question. Like I had a choice, but I thought, then and there, that if I didn't get it out now, there may not be another chance.

_"Bailey, did you remember to get the milk and bread after school?" My mom called in from the kitchen._

_Me, being a ten year old, didn't remember. And I told her that._

_"Will you please run out and get it for me? I need them to make dinner."_

_"Can't Valerie do it?" I called. "She can drive and it'll take shorter."_

_"Hey!" She yelled over from the table where she was doing her homework. "I'm busy squirt."_

_"Please Val?" I begged. "I'll do the dishes for a week if you do, I don't want to walk all the way down there and all the way back. And it's getting dark."_

_She gave me a look that only sisters can really share. "But you like doing the dishes."_

_"And you don't. But you like driving. So in the end we both get to do what we like." Even for a ten year old, I was pretty quick._

_She closed her book and went into the kitchen to get the car keys from our mom. When she came back in to get her jacket, she hit me gently on the side of the head. "Do your homework, stop doodling."_

_I smiled. "Hurry up. I'm getting hungry."_

_Laughing, she left._

_She didn't come home that night. Mom was going crazy with worry because Valerie never did things like that. Mom had called the police. At midnight that night, two policemen came to our house._

_As soon as the one opened his mouth, mom started crying._

_Someone was behind the wheel, drunk, and had lost control and hit her car, which sent it down the hill where she had died. The driver had driven on the sidewalk for a few feet before driving into a building._

_As soon as the police had left, my mother turned to me with the most horrible look one human being could give another. And from then on, she's hated me._

I was shaking. I had replayed the whole thing in my head so many times it seemed unreal. But finally telling someone brought it into the open, and it made me feel better.

A small bit at least.

I had somehow moved off of Chris, but legs were still over him and he was holding me like he was afraid to let go.

I was holding onto the front of his shirt like a child would their mother when they were scared.

"Do you think I'm a horrible person?" I asked, my voice sounding weird.

Chris tightened his grip around me and whispered, "No way."

I nodded, because I think that's all I ever wanted to know. Because he hadn't tried to sweeten it with other things. He said everything straight out and I knew I could trust him.

We sat like that until well after my mother left, until it started to rain and until we were numb and needed to stand up.

Chris actually cooked us dinner. And I couldn't help but laugh at the sight from the counter.

Sure, he was making Macaroni and Cheese, but he looked like he was getting mad, even though he had made it so many times before.

He looked up when I laughed. "So you're okay now?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Good." And he continued cooking.


	32. Chapter 32

Notes: Last chapter for today. Sorry. There's a little note at the bottom about these four chapters. I hope you don't completely hate Bailey for the last couple of chapters. Ignore the errors (that should probably go into the reminders…) and have fun with your new update.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_Stop right there.  
__That's exactly where I lost it.  
See that line?  
__Well I never should have crossed it.  
Stop right there.  
__Well I never should have said  
That it's the very moment that  
__I wish that I could take back.  
__-Who I Am Hates Who I've Been, Relient K_

I woke up the next morning feeling better than I have in…I don't know how long. I stretched, then got up and got dressed and the rest of the morning stuff.

Mom must have done a double shift because she was in the kitchen when I went to get breakfast.

"You didn't clean up the dishes last night." She told me. Some good morning.

I blinked. I could have sworn that I had. "Sorry." Was all I said.

"Who did you have over?"

"Chris." I snapped before thinking.

"I thought I told you not to have anyone over when I wasn't home." She said louder than necessary.

"You also said not to have anyone over while you were sleeping! So what am I supposed to do?"

She looked shocked that I would raise my voice to her. "Your sister never took that tone with me."

"That's because she never needed to! You didn't become so mean until after she died! When Valerie died, mom, you died too! You still have another daughter mom; I still need you. I've always needed you! But you're to busy moping and working to see it." I grabbed my backpack. "I'm going to be late." I told her before I left.

I felt even better. Sure, I felt bad for practically yelling at my mother, but I felt good about finally getting that off my chest.

"Hey." I looked up and saw Gordie and Chris. I must have walked faster tan I usually did because I was only walking for a few minutes, but I was already almost at school.

"Hi." I told them as we walked the rest of the way together.

Gordie and Chris were talking about one thing or another, but I was just happy to be friends with them again.

"Are you going to make up with Vern and Teddy soon?" Gordie asked me.

I paused. Vern I could forgive easily, but Teddy had practically yelled in my face.

"I think you should." Chris added.

I sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

The two of them were outside the school when we got there. We all kind of looked at each other until Teddy finally said, "Hey Bailey?" I looked up at him. "No hard feeling…right?"

I looked at him for barely a second before I felt Chris nudge my back.

"No way, man." I told him.

He held out his hand and I skinned it. And I did the same for Vern. It was actually hard to be mad at them. Because they were my best friends.

I got to homeroom a few minutes before the bell. A minute later, Molly and her friend walked by. "Hi Bailey."

I looked up from the argument I was having with Gordie about Ms. Neilson. "Hey Molly."

She went and sat down, and I noticed the guys were all staring at me funny.

"Knock it off." I told them. "I'm allowed to talk to other people besides you guys."

They laughed at me until I turned back to Gordie and asked him, "Do you like Molly yet?"

He stopped laughing straight off and shook his head.

I smirked. "I bet you a dollar I can get you to like her before the end of the year."

Gordie thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, deal."

My chance to win the bet came that day at gym, when Molly came up to me in the locker room. "Guess we won't be having lunch together anymore huh?"

I pulled on my gym shirt and looked at her for a second, thinking. "Well, there are a few empty chairs at the table we usually sit at…you can join us if you want…" I trailed off.

She nodded as we walked out and we split directions.

The next day at lunch, Molly and her two friends, Tina Smalls and Rachel Mills, came and sat with us. At first, the guys gave me strange looks, but I took a sip of my drink and shrugged happily before turning to talk to Tina about our math homework; I was trying to explain it to her because she was getting confused.

Those three girls started eating lunch with us everyday after that. The next Monday, after school, I was at my locker when Gordie came up beside me. He didn't say anything, but he opened his wallet and shoved a dollar into my hand.

I looked at it for a second, then started laughing, "See, I told you."

He seemed to blush. "Why do you do this to me?"

"Because I knew you'd like her after a while, once you got to know her." I snapped my dollar in his face. "And I got a dollar for playing matchmaker."

Gordie fake laughed for a second, then said seriously, "Give me back my dollar." And he lunged for it.

I ducked out of the way and started laughing. "Leave me alone. I earned this!"

He tried again, trying to look mad, but we were both still laughing. Gordie lunged one more time and caught me. By this time, almost nobody was in the hallway. He started poking me in the sides, where he knows I'm ticklish. So I started fighting him back. After a while, he gave up because I'm amazing and I wasn't giving up my new dollar.

I closed my locker and we walked outside.

"Finally." I looked to the side and saw Chris sitting o the steps by the door.

"We weren't that long." Gordie said as we walked down the stairs.

"What were you doing?"

"Gordie was giving me a dollar, and then decided to take it back. But he failed." I told him.

Chris laughed as we turned and headed towards Gordie's house to study.

* * *

Notes: Yes, things do go, pretty much, back to normal. I didn't want to waste a whole bunch of time writing a lot of chapters about them fighting. It didn't seem fair. Don't be mad that I only wrote four chapters on it, okay? Please?

Don't forget to review.


	33. Chapter 33

Notes: I'm writing the very last chapter of this story. I'm getting very sad that it's over. I'm currently watching all eight (it may be nine, I'm not sure) of my River Phoenix movies to make me feel better. Ignore the errors. This chapter is kind of out there, but I needed it so chapter thirty-five would be more…effective. Haha.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_In you and I there's a new land  
Angel's in flight  
My sanctuary, my sanctuary yeah  
Where fears and lies melt away  
Music will tie  
What's left of me what's left of me now  
I watch you fast asleep  
All I fear means nothing  
__-Sanctuary, Utada_

On the last day of school, I skipped into the house. Skipping was something I reserved for the last day of school, of course. I closed and locked the door. I had to go pack for Vern's. When I turned around from locking the door, my mother surprised me by waiting for me in the living room.

"Um…hi mom." She had been a little cold towards me since I had semi-yelled at her back in…well, before.

"Your Aunt Lacey is going to be here tomorrow at two to pick you up. We decided that spending the summer with her would do you some good." She told me.

I thought for a second. Aunt Lacey was my mother's sister. I haven't seen her since I was, like, ten. And she lived in…

"Doesn't she live in New Jersey?" I asked.

My mother only nodded.

"Do I get any say in this?"

My mother shook her head "Your aunt has already bought your plane tickets. They're nonrefundable."

Well, I wasn't going to sit at home by myself all night, that's for sure. "I'm going to Vern's tonight. I always do." I told her.

"Then you better pack before you go because you won't have time tomorrow. Come home at noon. I want you ready before she comes." And she left into her room.

I looked at the clock. It was three o'clock. I had to be at Vern's at four. So I went to my room and pulled out my suitcase from under my bed and opened it. I set it on the bed, then opened one of my drawers and started folding clothes.

While I have some time, I'll tell you a few things that happened after I made up with the guys.

Gordie and Molly haven't gotten together yet. They both like each other, and we all think the other knows it, but nothing has happened yet.

Chris never told the guys the whole truth about Valerie, at least I don't think so. I don't think I would have cared if he did. Maybe a little, but not a whole lot.

And Teddy asked Sabrina Parker out, but she turned him down. But that just gave him more of a challenge. Teddy said that before high school was over, he would go on at least one date with her.

I started putting clothes in my suitcase. I set aside my bathing suit and an extra set of clothes, but packed almost everything else.

I must of lost track of time because one second I was putting pants and shorts (yes I do own shorts!) in one pile, and shirts and other things in another when someone tapped on my window. I went over to it and opened my curtains. It was Chris. I immediately felt down, but I opened the window and he climbed in.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"It's four-thirty, we didn't know if-" He say my suitcase and the clothes spread out everywhere. "Are you going somewhere?" He asked me.

I turned away and started to put everything into the empty suitcase. "I'm going to my Aunt Lacey's house…for the summer."

Chris thought for a second. "Where does she live?"

I paused. "New Jersey."

He looked away, then looked back again. "You're coming back right?"

I smiled inwardly about the fact that Chris wanted me back. I nodded.

"Promise?" He asked.

"I promise." He seemed happier.

As I put more stuff in my case, I told him, "Maybe I'll surprise you when I get back."

"With what?"  
"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you then would it?" I closed my suitcase and then put the stuff into my backpack. "I'm ready to go."

Chris nodded. He left through my window and met me outside.

We met Teddy and Gordie at the treehouse.

"About time!" Gordie called before we had reached it exactly.

"Sorry." I told them as we headed to Vern's. "I was…packing."

"Took you long enough. What did you pack, everything?" Teddy laughed.

I glared at him. "As a matter of fact, I did. Because I'm going away this summer." I told them both.

"Where?" Gordie asked.

"New Jersey." Chris told them.

"Ouch." Said Gordie.

"Tell me about it." I rolled my eyes.

We got to Vern's and did everything in the same order. After I changed for swimming, I said to Chris, "I'll race you."

Chris smirked. The guys were a little ahead of us. "You know I'll win." He said.

"Oh yeah?" I asked.

"Yeah."

I stopped and looked at him for a second, then yelled, "GO!" And took off running. I remembered about the stump and how I hit it last time we had raced. I was going to hit it, so I jumped over it and beat Chris to the dock.

I was about to jump in when his body crashed into me and we both fell in, me then him.

I came up, coughing and laughing at the same time. "I won!" I clapped for myself.

"It was a tie." Chris tried to defend himself.

"No way." I splashed him. "I beat you to the dock. I hit the water first. I won."

He splashed me back. "Whatever." He said, smiling. "You got lucky."

"Luck had nothing to do with it, I'm just amazing."

Chris started to say something, but I was dunking before I could hear it. And that lead to the dunking/splashing war.

I would say I was tired of always being dunked or splashed, but that would be a lie. I never thought I'd get tired of them. No matter how old we were, we could always go back to when we were younger. We could act like four year olds and no one cared, because it was just us.

And that was all we needed…at that moment anyway.

* * *

QUESTION: I love that I've gotten no bad reviews for this story, but I would _really_ like to know what it is about this story, or about Bailey that makes you, the reader, not hate her.


	34. Chapter 34

Notes: Last chapter for today. I'm postponing chapter forty-two for as long as possible. And as for forty-three, if you have any questions you want to ask (forty-three is for FAQ, look, I spoiled it for you) I'll post them and my answer in forty-three. Ignore the errors.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_I__'m two quarters and a heart down  
And I don't want to forget how your voice sounds  
These words are all I have so I'll write them  
So you need them just to get by  
-Dance, Dance, Fall Out Boy_

We finished swimming and ate like it was our last meal on Earth. We played Truth or Dare until it started to get dark. When it did, Gordie told us a scary story about a girl who had a doll collection and every night while she slept, they would move around and hurt people. The scariest doll was one in a doll-wheelchair who would use her chin to move, so all you'd hear was _thump! slide, thump! slide. _They didn't hurt the little girl though, because she took care of them. But after she realized what they were doing, she destroyed them all. The little girl goes to bed that night, and at the end, the wheelchair doll escapes the garbage can, and the doll starts dragging itself into the girl's room going _thump! slide, thump! slide._

Vern screamed at the end. He looked like he was about to wet himself. It had frightened me too, because the way Gordie told it was scary itself.

Teddy thought it was dumb because 'dolls weren't scary.' But he looked scared.

Chris thought it was funny, but he told Gordie it was good, because it was.

After we sat around until about midnight, we decided to go to sleep, since I had to leave earlier than usual the next morning.

Vern was a little nervous about going to sleep with no light. Teddy told him to shut up and go to sleep. Vern was still mumbling about it when Chris whispered real soft to me, "Try to not use me as a pillow tonight."

I gave him a look. "Very funny. Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of it." Then I suddenly remembered about him keeping the picture I had drawn of the two of us.

"Chris?" I asked.

He rolled over to face me. "What?"

"What did you do with that picture I gave you?"

He gave me a weird look, and then said, "It's in my room, in one of my books. Why?"

I shrugged. "No reason, I was just curious…" I trialed off. "Good night."

Chris nodded. "Night."

I rolled over and fell asleep.

I didn't have any nightmares that night. About anything, which was good.

I did have this dream about the story Gordie told us, but I was on the dolls' side, which always happens when I'm told, I see or I read something scary.

It's the strangest thing, but it's better than nightmares that the scary thing's going to get you!

I also had a weird dream about something totally unrelated, but all I remember is like…green jelly…anyway.

The next morning after we swam and ate breakfast, the guys walked me home to say goodbye.

"I guess I'll see you guys at school…" I told them.

They all nodded. I was getting back the day before school started. I had a feeling I was going to be so tired the next day at school, but there was nothing I could do about it.

I hugged each of them in turn. We didn't hug a whole lot, but this was a good time to because I wouldn't be seeing them for almost three months.

They all finally left and I went inside. Mom was up to greet Aunt Lacey when she got here. I went into my room to check that I had everything.

Aunt Lacey arrived around three o'clock because her plane was late. Mom and she talked for a while. Aunt Lacey helped me put my stuff into the car and we drove to the airport. Aunt Lacey was talking the entire time. She could talk so fast, she would ask you ten questions and when she was done, you'd still be answering the first.

Once we were in the air, I pulled out my notebook. Aunt Lacey was reading and I had nothing else to do. I started sketching clouds, because that's all there really was. I don't know how long the flight was, but I was glad to finally collapse on what would be my bed for the next three months. I was so tired. You would never know that doing nothing could be so tiring.

One thing I loved from the moment we arrived was you could smell the ocean from the house, because if you went out the front door, turned 90 degrees, and walk straight for about twenty feet, you hit the beach. The smell made me smile because it was just that great. Even if it did make me wish the guys were here with me.

I started missing them. All I wanted to do was get some sleep and my body forced me to roll over and grab my notebook and flip through it. As soon as I did, I started to laugh because I had drawn one or two funny pictures of the guys. Like Gordie jumping off the dock at Vern's with a ridiculous look on his face, or Teddy when he almost burned the school to the ground in science back in 7th grade.

The moment I turned the page to a picture of Chris, my stomach erupted into butterflies. Without even meaning to do it, I started picturing all of the weird things we had done together since fifth grade. And doing that made the butterflies go even more crazy. I closed my eyes really tight to try make them stop, but it didn't work to well. I closed the notebook and set it on my night table. I turned off my light and rolled over.

I didn't know how long it would take me to fall asleep, and it did take me a while, even though I was so tired. My brain wouldn't turn off. It kept flashing images of me and the guys and I tried to stop them, but then I just let them come.

And I finally fell asleep.


	35. Chapter 35

Notes: This was definitely my favorite chapter to write. This is one of the chapters I had planned since before I wrote the first chapter. Ignore the errors. And I hope you all love this chapter as much as I do.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

* * *

_

_So I drive home alone,  
__As I turn out the light  
I'll put his picture down and maybe  
Get some sleep tonight  
__He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar  
The only one who's got enough of me to break my heart  
He's the song in the car I keep singing,  
__Don't know why I do  
He's the time taken up,  
__But there's never enough  
And he's all that I need to fall into…  
__-Teardrops On My Guitar, Taylor Swift_

It was around July 26th. Nothing exciting had happened yet. I had my birthday, so that was something I guess. And for it, Aunt Lacey had taken me shopping and bought me a new outfit for the first day of school.

I got a skort and a shirt. That's what I decided to surprise Chris with. He said he wanted to see me in one, so I figured I could wear one for a day for him.

The skort was black with white…thread? I wish I knew what it was called. I probably should have paid attention in Home Ec. I guess. And I got a semi-tight, blue-green shirt that together, the outfit looked so good on me, it was hard to believe.

I did get a letter from the guys a couple days before my birthday saying that when I got back, they had presents for me. It made me happy that they had gotten stuff for me even though I wasn't there…I wrote back immediately, but I haven't heard anything back yet.

It was driving me crazy. I was drawing a lot more though. Aunt Lacey actually hung the one I drew of the ocean from my window on her fridge. It made me smile like nobody's business.

One night, I sat down at my desk (yes, it was my desk and it would remain mine until after I left) and tried to write a letter to Chris. Everything I tried didn't seem good enough.

First I had written: _I miss you more than I'll ever have the courage to say._

But that didn't seem good enough. I felt like I had to do better than that, so I ripped up the paper until it would be impossible to put it back together and threw it into my trashcan.

On my third attempt, I had written: _I want to be your last call of the night. I want to be your first thought in the morning. I want five hour conversations…the ones with 'no, you hang up first.' I want you to make my heart race and give me sweaty palms. I want hugs that you never want to let go of. I want to be your favorite hello and your hardest goodbye. But most of all, I want to be considered yours._

But that had seemed like I was obsessed with him. Like a stalker or something. So I ripped that one up like the others. (If Aunt Lacey saw my garbage, she'd probably wonder what I was up to.) I had no idea why this stupid letter wasn't going the right way.

After five more tries, I had written: _You're the friend I know I can act like a complete idiot with and no matter what you will stand there laughing with me. You're the friend that I can get completely mad at, and then having you stand there with a funny face completely ignoring the fact that I'm mad at you, and just burst out laughing. You're the friend I can trust with everything. There isn't a thing in the world I would doubt telling you because I trust you with my whole heart. You're the friend that has been through rough times with me and we still come out standing strong. You're the friend that I would run to if in trouble. You're the friend that has always helped me out. And well you know what? You're a person that I consider my best friend. I kinda fucking love you._

Something wasn't right about this one. I had reread it about five times and I couldn't put my finger on it.

It was the next night I had figured it out. I had read it only once when I figured it out. It was the last sentence. _I kinda fucking love you._

I sat in the chair at my desk for almost an hour, not moving. I was thinking about every good thing Chris had ever done for me. Every feeling I had ever felt about him ran through my body. The butterflies I had had were going even crazier than before. I couldn't put my finger on what the exact feeling was I was experiencing.

And then it hit me. It hit me like a freight train coming at you going 100 miles an hour. It wasn't right at all. He had been my best friend since I was little. He had been with me through everything. We had been there for each other. We had laughed and we had cried together. We were supposed to be best friends. We knew everything about each other. I should have seen it coming, but I hadn't.

I reached over and grabbed my notebook and opened it to a picture of him. And I stared at it until it began to blur into nothing.

It hit me harder than the first time it had hit. It hit me faster and harder than I could have ever imagined. And it scared me so badly I began to feel sick. I knew I shouldn't feel the way that I did, but I couldn't help it.

I was in love with Christopher Jude Chambers. I couldn't help it, but I was.

And I hate to admit it but…

I think…I think I liked it.

While I was trying to fall asleep that night, the harsh reality hit me that Chris was supposed to be my best friend. There was no way he'd ever think of me more than that. Just before I fell asleep, I could feel a tear slide down my cheek and hit the pillow beneath me.


	36. Chapter 36

Notes: Not one of my favorite chapters, but it's pretty high on the list. I hope you like it. It's one of the only chapters I wrote that gave me butterflies while I was writing it. Ignore the errors. Oh, and if you want (its what I did) you can imagine Chris as how River Phoenix looked in either _The Mosquito Coast _or _A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon._ Depends on your taste, hehehe.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

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_

_Think of all the days you've wasted  
__Worrying, wondering, hopelessly hoping  
Think of all the time ahead  
__Don't hesitate, contemplate, no its not too late  
Have you ever wanted more?  
__Don't you know there's so much more  
-Keep Your Mind Wide Open, AnnaSophia Robb_

I never thought I'd say it, but I'M SO GLAD TO BE HOME!!

I know, I do skip a lot of parts. But nothing interesting happened after I realized I…after I realized my current position with Chris.

But we're not going to talk about that right now, I want to enjoy being home.

I unpacked and then took a shower. I put my pajama's on and climbed into bed even though it was only seven-thirty. But I was so tired, so I decided to go to sleep instead of fight it, like a lot of people do.

The next morning I woke up not feeling tired. I was surprised, but then I realized I'd probably be sleepy tomorrow.

I saw Gordie and the rest of the guys and hurried over to them. I hugged Vern, then Teddy, and then Gordie. "I missed you guys so much!" I told them, letting go of Gordie.

"We missed you too." Gordie said.

"Yeah, it was quiet without you." Teddy cracked.

I raised my hand in a threatening manner and Teddy stopped laughing.

Then Vern saw what I was wearing. "Are you wearing a skirt?!"

The other two decided to gawk at me like idiots. I almost hit them all for it. It was just weird. "No r-tard, it's a skort." I showed them the shorts under it. Then I remembered something.

"Wait." I paused. "Where's Chris?" Because if I had worn this outfit for no reason, I was going to be mad. People kept looking at me like they had never seen me before and it was slightly frightening.

"He told us to meet him here." Gordie said, looking around. "There he is." He pointed.

I tried to turn like I didn't care as much as I did, but I turned to quickly for the desired result.

But I turned around and spotted him straight off. My stomach started doing flips even faster now with the butterflies going into overdrive. His hair was slightly longer than before, but other than that, he looked the same.

I suddenly dropped my backpack and ran forward towards him. He must have seen me coming because he dropped his pack and got ready. When I was close enough, I jumped at him and wrapped both my arms and legs around him. Luckily, he was ready and caught me.

"I missed you." I whispered, hugging him tight.

"I missed you too." He told me, returning the gesture.

I pulled back a little and we smiled at each other before I let go and dropped down.

Just like the others had, Chris noticed what I was wearing. He smiled again before he asked, "Is this my surprise?"

I bit the side of my lip and nodded slowly.

"You have guts." He told me.

I shrugged. "You said you wanted to see me in one before. And I've dealt with people staring at me before, so I figured, what the hell."

"You look nice." Chris said.

I actually blushed, which I mentally kicked myself for. Looking down, I mumbled a thank you.

We made our way over to the rest of the guys. They didn't say anything, but they were all smirking like they knew something we didn't know and it was kind of weird.

Chris, Gordie and I had super hard accelerated math **and** history this year. I was dreading it, but if Gordie and Chris could bare it, so could I.

During homeroom, Molly leaned over to me and whispered, "I love your skirt. You look so nice today."

I smiled. I didn't even think about correcting her about the skirt, skort thing. "Thank you. I actually really like this outfit."

"Where did you get it?" She questioned.

"My aunt bought them for me since I was there for my birthday this summer."

She nodded. Then she looked over my shoulder and smiled at someone. I turned to look and Gordie had his hand raised in midair. He saw me looking and ran it through his hair.

I turned back to Molly and smirked.

"Oh please." She rolled her eyes in fake exasperation. "I happen to know a certain special someone has his eye on you." She informed me.

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "Yeah, okay."

Molly gave me a _look_, then looked over my shoulder again, looked back at me and gave me the _look_ again.

Curious, I glanced over my shoulder and saw Chris. He must have felt me looking because he looked over at me and smiled, which I returned. Then I turned back to Molly. "No way." I told her.

She looked giddy. "You're blushing!"

I made an angry shushing motion. "Be quiet!" I whispered.

"You like him!" She mouthed.

I pursed my lips together, then said, "No I don't. And I'd like to be sure that no one thinks otherwise, thanks."

Molly started to giggle. "You so like him."

"I can do nothing to change your mind, huh?" I asked.

She shook her head.

I opened my mouth to say something, but the bell rang. I looked at my schedule quickly and saw I had music with Chris first. I grabbed my notebook and I let him lead me to class.

How could Molly know about Chris? Was it more obvious than I thought? I thought I was hiding it well. But I guess jump-hugging him in front of almost everyone wasn't good concealment.

I tried to shove those thoughts out of my head as I turned my attention to Mr. Swayne explaining all of the class rules, expectations and so on.

That's what I hate most about first days. Not the fact you have to memorize a new schedule or anything about your new teachers or new classmate. It was having to sit through the same set of rules and expectations for fifty minutes eight times in one day.

But I would deal with it.

I always do.


	37. Chapter 37

Notes: I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I came up with this idea one day last summer when I was at my grandma's house. I was taking a shower and BAM! I got this idea. It's a very cute chapter, if I do say so myself. Ignore the errors.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

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_

_S__eems like just yesterday  
You were a part of me  
I used to stand so tall  
I used to be so strong  
Your arms around me tight  
Everything, it felt so right  
Unbreakable  
__Like nothin' could go wrong  
Now I can't breathe  
No, I can't sleep  
I'm barely hanging on  
__-Behind These Hazel Eyes, Kelly Clarkson_

"Do you think that Sabrina Parker will ever go out with Teddy?" I asked Gordie and Chris as we walked to school one morning a few weeks later.

They both laughed. "No way." Gordie said.

I know I skip days a lot. But who would want to read about how boring someone's life is. I will say these things though. Gordie and Molly still aren't dating. And obviously neither are Teddy and Sabrina Parker…or me and Chris for that matter.

Don't even get me started on that. It depresses me to much.

We walked into the school. We were only in the front hall when Teddy and Vern joined us. And we were still in the front hallway when Vicky Alter (Shannon Alters' little sister. Eyeball's girlfriend…blah, blah, blah) bumped into me as hard as she could. The book I was holding fell.

"Watch it!" I snapped.

"You watch it." She snapped back.

I waved my hands in fake fear as Chris bent down to pick my book up for me. "I'm terrified." I took my book from Chris.

"Aw, look at your little lackey." Her idiot friends laughed.

"That was pretty good. Come up with that yourself or did you have to pay someone for it?"

"If he doesn't do want you want, will you send Chambers to his death too?"

I turned around to face her. "I'm sorry, I just hallucinated, what did you say?

She sneered. "You heard me. Since you already killed your sister. At least, that's what Johnny told me."

Johnny Fidel was her boyfriend, but that wasn't the point.

Gordie put his hand on my shoulder. "Come on Bailey, let's just go."

I turned to leave when Vicky laughed "So it must be true then. You killed your own sister."

By this time, a lot of kids were around us. They must have heard us talking and wanted to know what was going on.

I turned around slowly to face her again. My face must have looked really scary because her grin faltered a little. "I'm going to rip your head off." I told her sweetly. "And shit down your neck." Then I lunged for her.

She cried out. I was about five inches from her face when I felt someone grab me from behind.

I saw Vern on one side of me and Teddy on the other. I fought to break away from them, but then Gordie grabbed me too.

Them holding me back made me even madder.

"Let me go!" I told them. "I'm going to kill her!" I fought even harder.

One of Vicky's little friends dragged her away. She looked like she was going to cry.

I was still trying to go after her when I felt someone wrap their arms around my waist and hold me back. I immediately stopped and my arms went numb. I turned my head about an inch and I knew it was Chris holding me back. My breath stopped for a minute, then came back.

Vern, Gordie and Teddy all let go of me. Chris was still holding me. I could feel my hands shaking as I put them on top of his. I turned to look at him again.

"You can let go of me." Why was I whispering? "I'm not going after her."

Chris looked down and over at me. For a second I hated being short, but then the butterflies took over again. He slowly backed off. I stood in front of them all, my back to them. We only had two minutes before homeroom started. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Bailey, I'm sorry." I turned around to face Chris, to face them all.

"For what?" I questioned, feeling lightly confused.

"I told the guys about Valerie a week after you told me. I shouldn't have. Fidel must have overheard me and told Vicky. I'm sorry." Chris said again.

I gave them a fake smile. "It's fine, really. It's not your fault that Alter is a bitch." I looked at the clock. "Come on, we should get to homeroom before we're late."

I turned and started walking to homeroom. The guys had to jog a little to catch up with me. They all gave me the same kind of sympathetic look. We turned the corner and stopped dead. Vern ran into me. Standing in front of me was Vicky. She saw me and her eyes got real wide. The people around us looked back and forth between the two of us. We looked at each other for a few seconds. I started to get mad again and she started to look scared again.

Chris must have felt how I was feeling because he put his hand on the back of my neck and led me away from her. It sent a ridiculous amount of shivers through me.

He kept his hand there until we entered homeroom. Then he quickly dropped it. Molly waved me over to where she was sitting. I looked behind me. No one was there. She motioned for me to sit down next to her.

"What?" I asked after I sat down.

"Are you and Chris finally dating?" She asked.

"Are you and Gordie finally dating?" I asked back.

"…no."

"Exactly." I told her.

She nodded slowly. Then she said. "That's not even what I wanted to ask. What happened between you and Vicky Alter?"

I shrugged. "She said some pretty vicious things about my sister's death and I kind of snapped."

Molly laughed, and then stopped quickly. "I didn't mean to laugh. But I could see you beating her up. I wish you could have."

"So do I." I told her before saying goodbye and sitting with the guys.

That day, that week, Chris walked me to class. He must have been really worried that if I saw Vicky, I would jump her or something. Secretly, I probably would have. But every time we saw her, he'd put his hand on the back of my neck and steer me away from her.

The butterflies multiplied by hundred every time he touched me. The butterflies would make me almost sick, but I loved them all the same.


	38. Chapter 38

Notes: This was just a fun little chapter I wrote to torture the readers. I probably didn't need it…actually…I did. Ha-ha. Even before I wrote these chapters, I knew I'd have to post them together. Tomorrow the last three chapters will be posted! Ah! It makes me so sad to see this story finishing! Ignore the errors.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

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_Feels like I have always known you  
And I swear I dreamt about you  
All those endless nights I was alone  
It's like I've spent forever searching  
Now I know that it was worth it  
With you it feels like I am finally home  
__-Speechless, The Veronicas_

I woke up a morning sometime in October feeling really weird. I felt like something was going to happen, I just didn't know what.

It was Wednesday. That Saturday was the Homecoming dance, so that meant that Friday was the game, which also meant the school was going crazy about it.

"Are any of you going to the dance?" Gordie asked us that morning before homeroom.

We all shook our heads no. Gordie blushed and I couldn't help but smile. "You asked Molly!!"

Gordie blushed even darker. "Do you have to tell everyone?" He demanded.

I actually clapped my hand over my mouth and _giggled_. I could have died.

"And now I have to go alone. Why couldn't one of you guys go too?" Gordie complained.

"Because none of us were asked." Teddy said. "Or we were rejected." We all figured what he meant. Sabrina Parker had turned him down…again.

"Excuse me, but _I_ was asked." I butted in, regretting those words the minute they left my mouth.

"By who?" Vern asked.

"Todd Kirk-"

"After what he did, he had the nerve to ask you?" Chris interrupted, sounding angry.

"Arthur Pierce-"

"Two guys asked you?" Vern looked shocked.

"And Jacob Magee." I finished.

"Why would three guys ask you?" Teddy said rudely.

I glared at him. "Because I'm amazing."

"And you aren't going with anyone?" Chris asked.

I looked over at him. "Nope."

"Why?" He asked, his eyes, like, burning into mine.

I swallowed hard and willed myself to stay calm. "Because the right guy didn't ask me."

He nodded slowly as the bell rang for first period. Chris was still walking me to all of my classes. I liked to pretend we were together and he loved me as much as I loved him.

Daydreaming is fun.

Nothing happened until third period, when everything seemed to go wrong. I was sitting there, reading my science book and doing my homework, like I should have been doing, when a girl named Elizabeth Reid, who sat across the aisle from me, leaned over to me and went _psst!_

I looked over to her. "What?" I was almost done with my homework and I didn't wanna have to finish it tonight.

"Are you and Chris Chambers dating?" She asked.

A few people have asked, or assumed, that lately. I mean, I can see where they're coming from, I guess.

"No, we aren't." I told her, turning back to my work.

"But you two are so cute together!" She got a dreamy look on her face.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your daydream, but Chris and I are just friends. We're best friends."

"You guys would be the perfect couple though!" She insisted.

I shrugged. "I guess we'll never know."

Elizabeth finally let me go back to my homework. When I turned, Gordie was looking at me funny.

"What?" I demanded.

"You are so dumb." He told me.

I raised an eyebrow and looked to the side. "Thanks?"

"You and Chris would make a good couple. You're perfect for each other."

I sighed, feeling myself get depressed. "We're friends Gordie, you know that."

"Oh please." He rolled his eyes. Teddy turned around to listen when Gordie said calmly, like he knew everything, "You both want to be something more. You're just too stubborn to see it."

I could feel myself blush. I couldn't believe he said that. I looked down. "Whatever." I mumbled.

Later that day in Gym, Gordie came up to me, looking little worried. "Don't be mad." Was the first thing he said to me.

"About what?" I asked, feeling confused.

"Promise you won't get mad first." He said, holding out his pinky.

"I'm going to get mad if you don't just tell me already." But I hooked my pinky with his and we shook on it.

"Now tell me." I insisted.

He gave me a regretful look, then looked down and mumbled, "Someone, who wasn't me, told Chris that you like him."

My eyes flew wider the ever before. "W-wh-wha-what?!" My breath seemed to stop and I felt lightheaded. I had to sit down. Gordie grabbed my arm and sat me down on the bleachers.

"Are you mad?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I'm…scared."

"This'll work out."

"No, it won't!" I cried out.

He put his hand on my shoulder. "Yes, it will. Trust me, okay?"

I took a few deep breaths. "Whatever. I don't think I'll be able to face him at all today."

But our next period was lunch. And all through it, there was such a heavy, awkward silence over us. We kept looking over at each other when we thought the other person wasn't looking. It was so horrible, I could have died. If I could have self-combusted right then and there, I think I would have.

After twenty-five horrible, never ending minutes passed, I couldn't take it anymore and stood up. Without saying anything, I threw my stuff away and left.

I had math with him after lunch, which could be even worse because none of the guys were there to help force a conversation.

It was even more awkward than I thought it would be. We couldn't even look at each other. And every time one of us tried to say something, nothing happened. We couldn't do it. I had ruined a perfectly good friendship because of a crush that had gotten way out of hand. I had to fall in love with my best friend, and then ruin it somehow. I don't even know how I did it either!

In art, Gordie seemed to sense how I was feeling because he let me sit in silence as we worked on out art project together. It had to do with emotion, ironic isn't it? A few days before, we decided to make a little guide and have different colors represent different feelings. We had a big poster board and while Gordie did random things in yellow for happiness, I was sitting silently slashing the paper with black and red and blue, for fear, anger and sadness.

Even by the end of the day, after I had gotten home, I couldn't seem to forgive myself for loving Chris.

And I think a small part of me didn't want to.


	39. Chapter 39

Notes: This is the chapter I've been waiting forever to put up! And you've been waiting for it! I hope it's good enough for thirty-nine chapters worth of waiting! Ignore the errors.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

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_The moon is shining bright  
The mood is feeling right  
I'll kiss you on your neck  
People will stare but we won't care  
We're high above the ground  
We're nowhere to be found  
-Damn Regret, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_

That night I was sitting on my bed, banging my head off the wall. As the night grew on, I was feeling stupider and stupider. I could feel a killer headache coming, but I kept hitting my head against the wall. I hadn't even started my homework yet. I just kept feeling like an idiot. There were only a hundred, thousand, million different things I could have done to prevent this whole messy situation.

My heart skipped a beat when there was a knock on my window. I hit my head one more time before getting up and going over to my window and opening the curtain. Even though it was dark outside, I still knew who it was.

It was Chris.

For a second, I almost closed the curtains again, but I didn't. I reached up and unlocked my window before pulling it up.

"Hi." I whispered…why I was whispering is a good question. I couldn't help feeling so embarrassed and awkward.

He smiled slightly before saying, "Bailey, I think we need to…um…talk."

I sighed. I was really hoping he wouldn't say that. But I knew he was right. So I told him so.

"Can you…come outside? Maybe we could go for a walk…or something."

"Nobody's here to stop me." I said before thinking. "I'll be right out." I slowly closed the window. I put my shoes and my coat (not the one Chris had given me, that would be weird) and met him outside. It wasn't that bad outside for October.

Chris walked over to me and we walked in silence until we were at the treehouse. We had just sat down underneath it when Chris turned to me and looked like he wanted to say something, but I beat him to it.

"Listen Chris, I know what you're going to say." I told him.

"What am I going to say?" He asked.

I took a deep breath and said quickly, "That you don't want to be my friend anymore because you know I'm in love with you!"

"Wait…" Chris said slowly. "I didn't know that."

My eyes got wide. "You didn't." Why was my voice all squeaky?

Chris shook his head. "I thought that you didn't want to be friends with me anymore because you knew _I_ was in love with _you_."

"I didn't know that either."

"Oh…" Was all he said.

We sat there under the tree in silence for a minute when we turned to each other at the same time.

"Did you-" Chris started.

"Just say-" I said.

"That you loved me?" We said in unison.

We both nodded at the same time.

"Oh wow." I mumbled.

We sat in silence for another few moments when Chris turned to me and said softly, "So…what do we do now?"

I swallowed and was determined to be brave. I had gotten this far, so I decided to suck up my courage and say, "I would…_really_ like to be able to tell Molly and everyone else that asks me that I'm your…" I paused and closed my eyes. "Girlfriend."

"I want that too." Chris told me.

I looked up at him. "Really?"

Chris put his hand on the side of my face and leaned his forehead against mine.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked, completely straightforward.

I bit the side of my lip. I had been waiting for this moment since eighth grade. I couldn't believe that he was really asking me. The butterflies had finally reached their limit, but didn't die down, that's for sure.

I was so happy, all I could do was nod quickly.

Chris put his other hand on the other side of my face. The butterflies started freaking out again when he tilted his head slightly and kissed me.

It was _so _much better than the last time. Especially since the last time was a dare back in seventh grade. And since we were surrounded by the others.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity." I whispered so softly I didn't think he'd be able to hear me.

We sat there for another few minutes when we decided that going home would be good. I had dreamed of this for years, and it as finally happening.

I went to bed that night feeling so giddy. It took me a while to fall asleep. When I woke up the next morning, though, I thought it had all been a dream. A really good dream.

But once I met up with Chris and Gordie, Chris took my hand and Gordie gave us a look that only said _finally!_

When we walked into school, it seemed like everyone stopped and looked at us. Then the whispering started. Chris and I looked over at each other and I shrugged.

Once we were in homeroom, just like I thought, Molly called me over.

"Are you and Chris dating?" She squealed. She obviously knew the answer, but I smiled really wide and nodded.

Molly was so happy that she _leaped_ forward and hugged me. "I'm so happy for you!"

I slowly pulled away. Hugging her made me feel funny. "Thanks."

The rest of the day, people kept asking me if Chris and I were dating. I smiled wider every time I nodded and said yes.

By art, my face hurt and the butterflies were making me feel nauseous. Gordie and I had just finished our color/emotion project. I had had fun with it. You can trust me on that.

We only had a few minutes before the school day was over. I had nothing to do. I opened my notebook and before I could think, I had written: _"So let's start another fairytale. You'll be my Prince Charming and I'll be you're Lovely Princess and you'll risk _all odds _just to be with me."_


	40. Chapter 40

Notes: This is another chapter I could have gone without, but it was necessary, I guess…in some way. It's a very cute chapter, even if I wrote it. Ignore the errors.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

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_

_We'll be together  
__Come whatever  
Not just staring at the stars  
Just remember  
__That no one else can tell us who we are  
We'll be together  
__So don't ever stop  
__Listening to your heart  
Cause I can't turn mine up  
__-We'll Be Together, Ashley Tisdale_

The next month was surprisingly hard for me and Chris. I guess the realization finally hit everyone that the tomboy freak and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks were in love. A lot of people were giving us grief about it.

It was a few weeks later when we hit a bump in the road. Not a big bump, but a bump nonetheless. Chris and I had just walked into the cafeteria when everyone, it seemed, turned to look at us. We were walking over to our usual table when the whispering started.

_"She could do so much better!"_

I tried to ignore it. But it was starting to get to me. And by the look on Chris' face, it was getting to him to.

The guys tried to talk over the whispers, but we could still hear them.

_"Why is she with _him?"

I wish they would just leave us alone. I wish I could just ignore them. I wish what they said didn't affect me, affect him, affect _us_. Wishing was pointless because it was doing nothing. I looked over at Chris. He was poking at his food. I opened my mouth to say something.

_"Bailey Warnock and Chris Chambers? Eww!!"_

Before I had a chance to do or say anything, Chris jumped up, looking angry. Then he stormed out of the cafeteria. At first I put my head in my hands. I made a split second decision. Then I got up and followed him out.

He was pretty far down the hallway when I found him. "Chris!" I called to him.

He punched a nearby locker and turned around. His mouth was moving, but I couldn't hear what he was saying.

I took a step forward. "I can't hear you." I told him, taking another step.

He took a few steps to. "I said that…maybe everyone's right. Maybe you can do better."

I went to him. I looked up at him. This was another moment I hated my height. But that wasn't the issue. "Remember what I said about this being a once in a lifetime chance?" I asked.

Looking slightly confused, he nodded.

"Once in a lifetime means…there's no second chance. So…you have two options. You can either accept the fact that I love you and you are absolutely perfect for me like I am to you, or you can say that I don't deserve you again and…I'll walk straight into that cafeteria and not look back. I don't want that to happen, so…choose wisely."

Chris looked down. Not at me, at the floor. "I want to be with you." He whispered. "I do." He closed his eyes. "Believe me, I do." He sighed. "I just don't want to put you through this-"

I put both of my hands on each cheek. "Chris." I said sternly. He opened his eyes and looked me in the eye.

"I have been your _best friend_ since we were five. I've heard everything before. Twice even. So don't let those people who know nothing about us, nothing about you, tell us who to be. They don't matter."

Chris sighed again. "You're right."

I smiled. "Of course I am. I'm a girl."

He laughed softly, and then grabbed my hands in his. "I love you." He whispered.

I smiled and bit the corner of my lip. I absolutely _loved_ (no pun intended) when he said that. It made me so happy inside, I could barely stand it.

"I love you too." I told him. Then I dropped one of my hands and started dragging him back to the lunchroom. "Now come on, I'm hungry and your teenage angst has taken twenty minutes of my lunch period."

He laughed again as we entered the cafeteria. And this time, the looks and the whispered didn't affect us at all.

As we were at my locker later that day, Chris turned to me and asked, "Would you be mad if I hung out with Gordie on Friday?"

I thought for a second. Why would I be…oh yeah, because apparently I'm supposed to be his only friend or something. I laughed. "I'd be mad if you didn't."

Chris gave me an _'I think I know what you mean, but because it's you I may not'_ look. So I told him, "I don't want to be your whole life Chris." I smirked slightly. "Just your favorite part."

Chris opened his mouth to say something, but an, "Aw, look at the cute couple!" Came from behind us.

I turned around and the guys were standing behind us.

"You're funny." I told Teddy as I put my coat on.

We were walking past Vincent's Drug Store when a woman who was…how can I say this in a way that isn't freaky or rude…

Gifted, I guess, is the only way to describe her in a not freaky or rude way.

The guys all turned their heads to look at her more. I rolled my eyes and kept walking. They finally caught up to me.

"Did you see the-" Teddy started before I cut him off.

"Ew, stop. I don't want to here this, wait until I'm gone. Please."

"Sorry." Gordie mumbled. He probably thought I would go and tell Molly.

They were together. I think I forgot to mention that…opps.

"I don't care what happens in your pants." I told them. "Just as long as it **stays** in your pants." I added as an afterthought.

They laughed at me as we came to the alley I turned from.

"See you later." I told them. I started too walked away when Chris tugged on my hand and pulled me back to him.

As the others yelled out _ew's _and _gross's_ and _get a room's_, Chris kissed me goodbye.

Smiling like someone not in the right mindset, I waved a little and walked down the alley and went home.

It was going to be a great year.


	41. Chapter 41

Notes: Two more chapters after this. Forty-Two should be up in about an hour. I have a feeling a lot of you will not like the way the chapter ends. But hopefully part of the next chapter will make up for it…hopefully. Ignore the errors. And there's a special surprise for those of you who have seen the movie _APT PUPIL_.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

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_Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?  
Can we survive it out there?  
Can we make it somehow?  
I guess I thought that this would never end  
And suddenly it's like we're women and men  
Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?  
Will these memories fade when I leave this town?  
I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye  
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly  
__-Graduation (Friends Forever), Vitamin C_

**Always On My Mind.**

It was the last week for Seniors. And we were all Seniors. We all somehow managed to make it. Together forever. Just like it should have been. Chris and I made it through high school. We had usual little couple fights and only one big one. We didn't talk to each other for about a day. Then we got over. We were voted Cutest Couple in our Senior year. Our picture had a whole page to itself. It was a good picture to, and I never took good pictures.

It was our last Tuesday night of high school. Chris and I had made plans to be together everyday until Graduation.

I brushed my hair, straightened my shirt and left my room. I was walking by the den when I called to my mom, who had been strangely up all day, "I'm going out mom. I'll be back soon."

Just as I put my coat on, I thought I had heard something from the den. I walked in and say my mother sitting on the floor, photo albums spread out around her.

I took a few steps forward. "Mama?" I asked. Why I said mama is a good question. It just came out.

She looked up at me and I was shocked. She was crying. I haven't seen my mother cry since I don't know when.

She pointed to the pictures in front of her. "I…forgot what she looked like." She whispered.

I took another step forward. "Mom."

My mom actually opened her arms and said, "Bailey, come here." She sobbed.

Seeing my mom like that made me sad. I knew who she was talking about, why though, I'm not entirely sure.

I sat next to my mother and we cried together. I never knew anyone could cry as much as we did. And my mom actually _apologized_ for…**everything.** I was shocked, but she seemed to really mean it, so I told her it was okay.

There was a knock on the door thirty minutes later. I had forgotten all about Chris!

"Who do you think that is?" My mom asked.

"It's probably Chris…I was supposed to meet him a half hour ago."

"Go." She told me. "Have fun."

I stood up and did what she said.

"What happened?" Was the first thing he said. I didn't know if he was talking about me or why I was late. So I just told him everything.

He didn't seem like he trusted my mother, but he accepted that I did and we never talked about it again.

_Maybe I didn't treat you quite as good as I should have. Maybe I didn't love you quite as often as I could have._

**Baby Come Back. **

Graduation Day was hard for all of us. None of us made valedictorian, of course. That was Todd Bowden. But I came out fifth (I know, go me), Gordie seventh (while on the subject of Gordie, Molly came out tenth) and Chris nineteenth. We were all proud of each other.

But now we were all sitting in the Graduating Class of '65 section. I was, of course, in the back because my last name started with a W and not an E or something.

Todd Bowden stepped up to the podium to deliver his speech:

_"All great achievements arose from dissatisfaction. It is the desire to do better, to dig deeper that propels a civilization to greatness. All of us know the story of Icarus, the young boy who took the wings his father built for him. Wings that were meant to carry him over the ocean to freedom and used them instead, for a joyride. For a brief moment, Icarus felt what it was like to live like a god, to touch the sun, to soar above the common man. And for doing so, he paid the ultimate price. Like Icarus, we too have been given gifts: knowledge, education, experience. And with these gifts comes the responsibility of choice. We alone decide how our talents are bestowed upon the world. This is our destiny and we hold it in the palm of our hands."_

He stepped down as we clapped for him. It was an excellent speech.

The principal, Dr. Baines stepped up and started calling names. We were supposed to wait until after the ceremony to clap and cheer and act crazy, but of course we didn't listen. I wasn't really listening to the names until I heard Dr. Baines call out, "Christopher Chambers." I stood up with the other four and yelled as loud as I could. I could tell that Dr. Baines was impressed with Chris because he shook Chris' hand for a really long time.

A little while later, I heard, "Theodore Duchamp."

I did the same thing for him. And for "Molly Evans." and "Gordon Lachance." and "Vern Tessio."

Finally, it was my turn. I was so nervous. I had a feeling I would trip or something that would make me look ridiculous.

"Bailey Warnock." I heard.

I also heard the guys yelling my nickname. I shook Dr. Baines' hand and turned to the crowd and pumped for fist in the air. They cheered more. I saw Chris lift his hand in the air and curve it into half a heart. I made the sign back as I left the stage. That had become our symbol over the years.

After the ceremony ended, we all met up to sign yearbooks. We sat in the front yard of the school, in a circle, one last time.

We passed our books to the left. I got Vern's first. I wrote (all in _cursive_) _I'll always remember those late afternoons. They lasted forever and ended so soon._

We passed again and I got Teddy's. I wrote the same thing. Then after it I wrote: _Don't get to crazy. I don't want to have to come back and kick your ass._

We passed again and I got Gordie's. I wrote the same thing as the others and added: _Someday Gordie, you're going to write a book about us all and it'll be made into an amazing 80s movie and everyone who sees it will fall in love with us and we'll all be played by super hot actors. Don't forget our deal about the cover art._

Finally, I got Chris'. I wrote the same thing as the others as well. Then I added to the bottom: _These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss, consume._

It was from eleventh grade when we read Romeo and Juliet. It was my favorite line. The guys got tired of me saying it. Fast.

After that, I wrote with, I hate to admit it, but little hearts around it: _Don't you dare forget about me. I'm never going to forget you. Ever. You have changed my life so much. I wouldn't be me without you. I love you._

We got our own books back and we opened them to see what they said. From Vern, mine said about how good of a friend I was; from Teddy it said about how he was thankful I was his friend for so long and to try truck (or train) dodging; from Gordie it said that I was one of the best friends he ever had and to keep on doing my art thing. He also mentioned our deal, so I guess he hadn't forgotten. I finally got to Chris'. I closed my eyes and sighed before reading:

_Hey Bia_ was scribbled out. Under it was: _I love you. I love you more than I love myself. I don't think you know this, but you're the reason I'm getting out of Castle Rock. I want you to be happy for as long as possible. And I want you to keep drawing and painting because that can take you so far in life. I'm never going to forget you, even if you forget about me. You're going to be my first thought waking up and my last thought at night. All I've ever wanted was you to be happy. And even though we're going to be so far away from each other for so long, I know we'll never be truly apart. No matter what happens, whether in this life or the next, we'll always be together. I love you and I'm going to miss you._

I sniffled loudly and the guys turned to look at me. "Sorry." I whispered.

We were going on different paths. Vern was getting married soon, Teddy was going to try to get into the Army, Gordie was going to the Orono campus at The University of Maine and Chris was going to the Portland campus. As for me, I was accepted, full ride, to Brera Academy in Italy. It was a fine art school. I was leaving everyone behind to follow my dream.

We left after that. We all hugged goodbye. Chris was leaving the next day. Gordie was leaving the day after that and I was leaving the day after Gordie.

All I knew was that no matter what happened, there was no way in hell I'd ever forget them.

_Spending all my nights, all my money going out on the town. Doing anything just to get you off of my mind. But when the morning comes, I'm right back where I started again. Trying to forget you is just a waste of time._

**It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday.**

The next day I was meeting Chris at the Blue Point Diner. I was sitting in the booth waiting for him. We had talked about this before, but now that it was happening, I didn't think I could handle this.

Chris came in and sat next to me.

"I can't believe you're finally getting out of here." Was all I could say.

"I never would have believed it myself." He told me. "Listen Bailey. We're doing the right thing." He told me.

I nodded. "I know." I sniffled. I really didn't want to cry, but I couldn't help it. "It's the only thing that makes sense. I'm moving halfway around the world for four years. I just didn't think it would be so hard." I wiped my eyes. "I'm going to miss you." I whispered.

Chris hugged me tightly. "I'm going to miss you too."

He had already given me his dorm number. He told me that would be his number until he changed it, duh, but I would be the first person he told. He already had my phone number.

I let a sob out involuntary. Chris hugged me even tighter. "If you ever need me." He whispered. "You don't have to go anywhere. I'm always going to be right here." He touched my heart gently. "And as long as you never forget that, we'll never be apart."

I looked up at him and nodded. He was right. And being together in different time zone's would be almost impossible. I had to let him go because he was already gone anyway.

"I love you." He whispered in my ear.

"I love you too." I told him, meaning it with all of my heart.

He kissed my forehead. Then I pulled him down and kissed him on the lips.

We both stood up and hugged again.

"I'll see you." I told him.

"Not if I see you first." He smiled softly.

Then I watched him walk out of the Blue Point Diner and get into his beat up green car that we used to ride in all the time before Graduation. He waved to me as he drove off. I waved back, feeling like a moron. Because only a moron could fall in love with Christopher Jude Chambers and then let him walk away without trying to change his mind.

_How do I say goodbye to what we had? The good times that made us laugh outweighed the bad. I thought we'd get to see forever but forever's gone away. It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday._


	42. Epilogue

Notes: Okay, this is the epilogue, but there's a chapter after this. So don't stop reading until you read the next chapter that's going to be posted sometime soon. Ignore the errors. Oh, this is almost over!!!  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

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_15, there's still time for you  
Time to buy and time to lose  
15, there's never a wish better than this  
When you only got 100 years to live  
__-100 Years, Five For Fighting_

**Can I Go Now.**

When I had first learned about Vern's death, I was in class. I was flipping through THE OREGONIAN newspaper that I had specially delivered. I remember looking at it in shock, At first I didn't believe that I had read it correctly. But I did. I had missed the funeral because the paper was delayed by a day sometimes. Usually it was on time. Shocking, I know, but true. I would have went to the funeral if I would have known about it sooner. It made me miss the guys so much. I pulled out my old notebook and started looking through it. My eyes started to blur, so I blinked the tears back. Class was not a good time to start crying.

After class, I went to my dorm room and drew the five of us like I remembered. Us in front of the town in our usual poses. Me with my arms crossed, Chris with a hand on his hip, Gordie perfectly straight, Teddy kind of slumped over and Vern with his legs slightly spread apart. I was back at the age of twelve. God, I missed them all so much than I ever thought possible.

_You got your point of view there's nothing I can do._

**The Getaway.**

I laced up my skates and headed out. I was waiting on tables…cars…whatever. I was a waitress at a little café that thought roller-skating order-takers and food-bringers was a good idea.

I didn't even argue because I didn't need the money since some millionaire bought a couple of my paintings back home, but that wasn't the point. Anyway, I skated up to beat-up green car and said politely, "Potere io volerci suo ordinare?"

"I'm sorry. I don't speak Italian." The guy said.

I sighed. Without even looking up, I said in English, "Can I take your order?"

"Yes, I'd like one Bailey, extra cheese, no mayonnaise." I had written the B when I realized what the guy had said.

I looked up and seriously, almost wet myself.

The guy climbed out of his car. "Bailey."

I threw my arms around him. "Oh my god, Chris, what are you doing here?!"

"I'm on Spring Break and decided to see what was out here that was so great that we never talked anymore."

I sniffled. I was not expecting this at all.

And those Goddamn butterflies were back.

Chris waited until I got off work. He followed me back to my apartment that I had bought off campus a few months ago. It was kind of messy, I had projects started all over the place.

"Home sweet home." I told him, locking the door behind us.

He looked around for a second, then turned back to me. "I expected it to be more…organized."

I gave him a look. Then I sighed. "I was thinking off finishing my current projects and then going back to Oregon.

He looked back at me. "Really?"

I nodded. "But my clients have already ordered these things, so I have to finished them before I go."

"…clients?" He asked.

I explained to him about my business. People called wanting a certain picture. They explained it in person and I would do a rough sketch. If they liked it, they would tell me if they needed it by a certain time or not and then they'd leave their numbers so as soon as the picture(s) was done, they could pick it up and pay me.

Chris nodded, then looked at my newest project. "What are you doing?"

"I put paint in balloons and then I pop them. I just haven't finished it yet."

Chris smirked. "Can I help you with it?"

I smirked back. "If you mess it up, then you have to pay for it."

Chris picked up one of the darts laying on the end table and threw it. Blue paint exploded down the canvas.

I clapped sarcastically.

We finished that picture in about an hour. We were talking and laughing like we were kids again and not twenty-something's that had jobs of their own, lives of their own.

We had just popped the last balloon when Chris turned to me and whispered, "I missed you."

The butterflies attacked again. "I missed you too."

Chris stayed over that night. We stayed up all night talking. He was leaving the next day, but we talked anyway. We stayed up the entire night. Talking and laughing. It was like we were thrown back in time. He left early the next morning. But for those few hours, we were thirteen. It was amazing.

_Both hands on the wheel, how am I supposed to feel? So much running through my mind._

**Down. **

I was in New York when I learned about Teddy's death. I was there, treating myself to a little well-earned vacation time. I jumped on the next plane home and made it in time for the funeral. I hadn't been able to go to Vern's, so I figured maybe going to Teddy's would be enough. And I had no idea how my brain figured that out.

When I walked into the room at the funeral a few days later, I was jumped at by a very pregnant woman. When I pulled away, I realized it was Molly Evans…well, now it would be Lachance. Then I saw Gordie.

"Gordon William Lachance." He actually winced when he heard his full name. "What have you done to her?"

Molly laughed. "It's our second. We have a little girl named Emily."

I smiled. "Seems like you guys have been busy."

Gordie gave a fake laugh.

"Would you like to meet her?" Molly asked.

I smiled and nodded. Gordie went to go find her, saying she was with one of their college friends.

"Emily, sweetie." Gordie said, bending down to her level. "This is my friend I was telling you about. This is your Aunt Bailey."

"Gordie, I can-" Molly elbowed me.

"Yes you can."

Emily said hello and looked down, obviously shy. I said hi back and looked up at Gordie for what to do next. Before he could say anything, Emily looked up and cried out, "Uncle Chris!" And ran away.

I turned around and saw her jump up at Chris. He bent down to pick her up. "Hey, my little bumblebee. How are y-" Chris saw me.

Chris set Emily down and hugged me tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in New York when I heard. I thought coming would be okay." I pulled back a little. "What, don't want me here?"

He shook his head and laughed. "No, I'm just surprised."

Being in his arms made me think of when I was fourteen. I would never forget the feeling of his arms as long as I lived.

_The drops of rain they fall all over, this awkward silence makes me crazy._

**Endless Summer. **

I was visiting my mother when I learned about Chris' death. She was eating breakfast, reading the morning paper when I saw :

_The Oregonian, Wednesday, September 4, 1985:_

_**Attorney Christopher Chambers Fatally Stabbed In Restaurant.**_

_Late yesterday, while standing in line at a local restaurant, Attorney Christopher Chambers found himself attempting to break up a heated argument between two men ahead of him._

My eyes widened. I waited until after my mother had left the room until I looked at the article. Chris was waiting in line at a fast food restaurant when two men in front of him get into an argument. One of the men pulled a knife. Chris, who always wanted, needed, to make peace, tried to break it up. He was stabbed in the throat, he died almost instantly.

I told my mom I was going for a walk and I ended up at the treehouse. I wanted to cry more then anything else, but nothing would happen. I sat down under the tree. The treehouse was practically gone. The place I had lived, laughed, learned, cried, yelled, was almost gone. It was like the metaphor of my life. I sat in the exact same spot I did when Chris had told me he was in love with me. I was back to the age of fifteen. I felt as if my heart was breaking.

_We laughed, we cried and all the while we felt so alive. It was you and me._

**Good Is Good.**

I had been back in my studio apartment in Italy. I had gone to Chris' funeral. I didn't stay to long. I had to leave, I can't handle it. The boy, the young adult, the man I had been in love with was dead.

But it was about two months later. I was in the middle of doing a waterfall watercolor for a client when my doorbell buzzer thing went off. I jumped and got dark blue paint where it didn't belong. I cursed. I'd have to fix it later.

I got up and went over to my speaker. "What?" I snapped.

"Bailey Warnock?" The voice said.

"Yes." I said. My name was only next to the speaker.

"It's Gordie. I need to talk to you."

I laughed. Why would Gordie be in Italy? "Okay, if you really are Gordie, tell me three things that only you would know." So what if I was acting like a little kid? I didn't care.

I heard a sigh. "In sixth grade me and Teddy convinced you that Tony Winter liked you. The summer before 9th grade you were beat up by Eyeball Chambers and Ace Merrill. And in 10th grade you fell in love with your best friend, Chris Chambers."

Okay…so it was Gordie…"Come up." I unlocked the door.

I sat back down in front of my painting when I heard Gordie's voice. "Wow, this place is a mess."

I turned around in my seat. "What are you doing here?"

"Molly and I wanted to take a vacation. We were on the plane here when we remembered you lived here."

"So, why are you here?" I asked again.

Gordie sat down next to me and handed me a bunch of pages. "What is this?" I asked him.

"Look at it." He told me.

I looked at the cover which had **THE BODY **by Gordon Lachance on the front. I turned the page and read the prologue that Gordie had given me back on my thirteenth birthday. I flipped through it, reading random pages here and there. When I got to the sixth page of chapter eleven when I pointed to the section. "I didn't have tails. I had a head. I just flipped it before anyone could tell because I didn't want to go."

Gordie stared at me for a minute. "Seriously?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I was a pretty good lair back in those days."

Gordie laughed.

"You don't have to change it." I told him. "It makes it…eerier."

He nodded. "So…get to work."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You have to do the illustration for it."

I thought for a second. "How long are you and Molly here for?"

"Two more days."

I thought for another second. "Come back tomorrow and I'll have a couple rough sketches for you. Bring Molly too. I feel bad she isn't here.

Gordie left and I got to work. This was more important.

The next afternoon I had three rough sketches done. One was just the woods and train tracks going out into them. Another was looking at the Royal with five dark shadows (I'll give you one guess who they were) going down the hill. And the last one was looking out from the Castle Rock town line.

Gordie really liked them all. So did Molly. Gordie asked me which one I liked the best, So I told him the first one.

Gordie nodded. I finished the picture that night and gave it to him. Him and Molly left the next day after I gave them the picture, signed, by Gordie's request.

Four months later I received one of the first copies of the book. Looking at the cover, I was back to the tender age of seventeen when Gordie signed my yearbook to make sure I never forgot our promise.

_And every time you hear the rolling thunder. You turn around before the lightning strikes. And does it ever make you stop and wonder if all your good times pass you by._

**Stand By Me. **

It was a few years later. Actually, it was a lot of years later. I was 27 when Gordie called me again. I was living in New York when he called. We had been out of touch for quite some time. Him and Molly and their three children, Emily, David and Isabella, lived in New York too. Gordie said he had six plane tickets for Oregon. They were making his book a movie and he wanted me to be there because I was the last one left.

Three days later I was meeting the director, Rob Reiner. He talked to Gordie for a few minutes as Molly and I entertained the kids.

Molly went to take the kids to the hotel for a while when three of the kids came over.

"Gordon, Bailey, this is Jerry and Corey and Wil."

Gordie and I exchanged looks. It was so weird. The actors looked just like Vern, Teddy and Gordie.

"Hey, River, Kelly, come here!" Wil called over our shoulders.

Gordie and I turned around at the same time. Wide-eyed, I turned to look at Gordie. "Spooky." I told him.

Coming towards us was a girl who's hands were in her pockets, talking to a boy who was shaking his head.

The girl, who's name was obviously Kelly, looked exactly like I did when I was that age.

Gordie and I watched them film that day. We were there practically everyday. We were like groupies.

The day they filmed the dump scene, I turned to Gordie and whispered, "How much do you wanna bet that Kelly and River end up together?"

He turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?" He asked.

"I've been watching them. They act exactly like Chris and I had. _Exactly. _So, how much?"

Gordie rolled his eyes. "Ten dollars."

"Deal." We shook on it.

Five months later, I was sitting between Gordie and Molly in a theater. Gordie had David on his side and Molly had Emily and Isabella.

I was trying to use the mind over matter thing. I tried to convince myself that I was going to make it through the movie just fine.

I closed my eyes and turned away. "Why did you add me getting punched in the face in?" I demanded.

Gordie laughed silently. "It happened, so I had to add it."

I flicked him a while later. "I hate you. Why did you add in the Truth or Dare part in?"

I turned away like I was really mad. Gordie laughed again.

I was fine until the movie was almost over. It was Gordie and Chris by the treehouse.

"I'll see you." The on-screen Gordie said.

"Not if I see you first." The on-screen Chris whispered before leaving.

I turned my head. I didn't want to watch the rest of it. Molly grabbed my hand and held onto it tight until the credits rolled.

We talked to some people afterwards. Just before we walked out, we saw River kiss Kelly.

Gordie started to mumble as he pulled out his wallet and slapped ten dollars into my hand.

"Thank you." I snapped the bill a few times before I put it into my pocket.

I got into my car and told them I'd meet them back at the hotel. And on the car ride home, I turned on the radio and there was only music playing, so I figured the song was over. But then I heard:

_May angels lead you in  
__And if you were with me tonight,  
I'd sing to you just one more time.  
A song for a heart so big,  
God wouldn't let it live.  
May angels lead you in.  
Hear you me my friends.  
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.  
May angels lead you in.  
May angels lead you in.  
Hear you me my friends.  
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.  
May angels lead you in._

That's when the reality of Chris' death finally caught up with me. I had spent so much time pretending everything was fine that I never let myself even think about it.

I pulled over onto the shoulder of the road. I cut the engine. I stared out of the windshield for a second, then put my head in my hands and started to cry.

I cried for almost an hour. I cried for him, for Teddy, for Vern, for Gordie, for myself. And even though I was 28 now, sitting in a car on the side of a highway, bawling my eyes out, I was taken back in time.

I was five, with Christopher Jude Chambers as my only friend.

I was ten, with the death of my sister and the hate of my mother hanging over my head.

I was eleven, going to see my first dead body with Chris, Gordie, Theodore Scott Duchamp and Vern Jeremiah Tessio.

I was thirteen, sitting in Teddy's guest room, covered in bruises and casts.

I was fourteen and afraid of the future.

I was fifteen and in love with my best friend.

I was sixteen and driving for the first time.

I was seventeen and graduating high school and saying goodbye to the love of my life.

I was twenty and Chris came to visit and I was twenty-one and he had died.

I was twenty-three and I was drawing the cover for Gordie.

And I was twenty-eight and I was sitting in my car alone, crying for all the reasons I had lived my life to the fullest. I was five and ten and eleven and thirteen and fourteen and fifteen and sixteen and seventeen and twenty and twenty-one and twenty-three and twenty-eight all at the same time.

I knew then that no matter what happened, no matter what had already happened, we would always be together.

They were my boys and I was their girl. We were all best friends. We would be together forever. Because they were my boys and I was their girl. And we were all best friends. Together and apart, forever and ever.

_Darlin', darlin', stand by me, stand by me. Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me._

_

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_

More Notes: Some things about this chapter: I really wanted Chris to come back so the reader could have one last BaileyChris moment, so I threw in **THE GETAWAY**. It wasn't even originally planned. In **STAND BY ME**, during some parts of it, it felt kind of weird because I had two Bailey's and two Gordie's and so on. And I know that River Phoenix never dated anyone named Kelly Hazen, at least I don't think so (yes, that's the girls full name) but I had to add in something fun like that for another BaileyChris moment. And I really hope you liked the ending because I've never written an ending to a story to this magnitude before. And yes, I do kind of repeat myself with the last couple of lines, but that was on purpose. And remember, there's a fun little FAQ chapter after this, so don't forget to read that too!

_…please review._


	43. FAQ

Notes: This is the last chapter for IN THE ROUGH. It makes me very sad. But in question twenty-one, I mention other Stand By Me fanfiction ideas. If you want to see one written, you gotta tell me. So you can PM or review your answer and I'll consider it because I want to write another one, I just don't know which one. Though I don't think right now I really wanna write **IN THE ROUGH: VERSION TWO**…but that's not up to me to decide. Most of these questions were just me thinking about things and some were actually asked. I hope my answers are good enough. Oh, and question twenty-five was taken directly from Wil Wheaton's book **JUST A GEEK**.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

_

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_

_It's over  
Look out below  
And I'm wasted  
I still taste it  
Yeah it's so hard to let go  
So breathe in now  
And breathe it out  
The forecast  
A car crash  
It's looking like another..._

Question One: How did you get the main idea for this story?  
Answer: I was lying on my couch, watching it for the first time and I was like "Mmhm…I wonder what would happen if a girl was here?" I had already known the answer to that, because I had read Stand By Me fanfictions before.

Question Two: Where did you get Bailey Warnock's name from?  
Answer: I was looking for a tomboyish name and Bailey fit it perfectly. Warnock was just a lucky find. But you have to admit it; Bailey Warnock is one kick ass tomboy name.

Question Three: How did you think up some of the things that happened in the story?  
Answer: A few were original ideas just thought up to make the story more fun, and others were added later. I'd be doing anything. I could be watching TV or reading or taking a shower and the ideas would just pop into my head. I also got a lot of ideas from movies, TV shows and books. Some were thrown out the window and some were played around with until they fit nicely.

Question Four: Where did you get the title?  
Answer: It's actually a song by Anna Nalick. I thought it fit nicely.

Question Five: Is it your favorite song?  
Answer: Actually, I didn't listened to it until I was halfway done with Chapter Forty-Three. But I listened to it once and I haven't been able to stop since, so maybe.

Question Six: Was this your favorite story to write?  
Answer: So far, yes, it was. I am truly sad that it's over.

Question Seven: Why were you able to finish this story but none of your others?  
Answer: That's a good question. I think its one of three reasons. Reason one was I love Stand By Me and The Body, but I never went through my "phase" as my mother likes to call them were I feel really funny and my stomach does this pully-twisty-owwie thing. Reason two was because I had a lot of freedom with this story, but still a small guide. And reason three is that I never gave Bailey a description. And all the stories describe my character greatly, I never finish. And because I love the movie and the book. And writing it ten chapters ahead before posting helped a lot.

Question Eight: Was it hard to write?  
Answer: It was surprisingly hard. Chapter Eleven was hard for the simple reason I had to make Bailey's mom a real witch. Chapter Thirteen and Twenty-Three were both hard because they were in Chris' point of view. Chapter Twenty because it didn't want to be a thousand words. Chapter Thirty-Eight for the same reason. I never wanted Chapter Thirty-Nine to end but I couldn't write enough for it and Chapter Forty because it wouldn't come out right.

Question Nine: Did you ever get in trouble for this story?  
Answer: The only trouble I got in for it was I would be writing or editing during class and my teachers didn't like it. Or I'd be writing instead of doing my homework, which my mom didn't like too much.

Question Ten: Who's your favorite character? And who's your least?  
Answer: My favorite is a tie between Chris and Gordie. My least favorite character is actually Denny or Ace. I don't know why I don't like them. People ask me why I don't like Eyeball, since he almost let Ace kill his brother. But if you really watch the movie, Eyeball tried to stop Ace before Gordie steps in.

Question Eleven: What's your favorite slash?  
Answer: ChrisGordie. Don't even get me started on the subject. In the treehouse scene, after Chris makes the Frenchmen joke, when he and Gordie laugh, they lean in and that was the first time I ever thought of it. My friend as mentioned GordieTeddy and now that's in my head, so look out for something with that.

Question Twelve: Why did it take so long for Chris and Bailey to get together? And why did they break up?  
Answer: In almost every ChrisOC I've read, Chris and the girl hookup in, like, the second chapter. Expect for the really good ones, when it's a longer time. I had a lot of stuff to talk about before they could be together. And I think I made them break-up so Bailey wouldn't go all freaked out after his death.

Question Thirteen: You never gave a clear description of Bailey. Why? And what does she look like?  
Answer: I know I never gave her a clear description. I didn't do it on purpose. I realized that after chapter…twelve or something. It just happened that I didn't give her a description and she's in the story that gets finished. As for what she looks like, I've been told two things. One is she has auburn hair and hazel eyes. And the other is she looks like me, with red hair and brown eyes. But none of them seem to do her justice. Though it may just be me. I always thought she'd be average looking with brown hair and brown eyes or something. But it's up to the reader really.

Question Fourteen: Why is Bailey's nickname Bia? Shouldn't it be Bai?  
Answer: I thought of that around Chapter Fifteen. Yeah, her nickname probably should have been Bai, but I made the mistake of calling her Bia, and I didn't want to go back and change it, so I kept it.

Question Fifteen: Do you and Bailey have anything in common?  
Answer: Yes, we do actually. We both collect stuffed animals and we both love Chris Chambers. Haha. I think those are the only things.

Question Sixteen: Molly and her friends don't have a problem with Chris and his social status? (A question from Embry)  
Answer: When I answered that question from a review, I realized that it was a good question. Molly and her friends _do_ join pretty quickly. But my answer is since Molly got to know Bailey; Molly figures that Bailey can tell who's a good person. That she has good judgment of character. So that's my answer.

Question Seventeen: Did Chris betray Bailey when he told the others her secret? (A question everyone seems to be thinking)  
Answer: (from chapter thirty-three) _"Chris never told the guys the whole truth about Valerie, at least I don't think so. I don't think I would have cared if he did. Maybe a little, but not a whole lot." _So, no, Chris didn't betray her. And I guess I should have mentioned it, but Bailey was never mad at Chris for it, so was only mad at Vicky for the things she said.

Question Eighteen: When did you find time to write?  
Answer: Just on random days when I had nothing better to do. And since some chapters only took me an hour and a half to two hours, that worked out well.

Question Nineteen: Did/do you have a BETA?  
Answer: I did and I do not have one. I don't like the idea of someone reading my work before it's out there for everyone else. It doesn't seem fair. I will probably never use one either, so please don't ask.

Question Twenty: Will there be a sequel?  
Answer: Um…yeah. Because there's so much more I can add to this. That's sarcasm if you couldn't tell. Like 50,000 plus words and 43 chapters isn't enough for you. But no, there will be no sequel.

Question Twenty-One: Will you be writing any more Stand By Me fanfictions? If so, what are they?  
Answer: As a matter of fact, I'm planning on it. My first idea came from a dream I had. All I know is it's called BLEED and it'll talk about self-injury. The second idea is called TEENAGE TRADEGY and the four guys and the girl live in present time. TEENAGE TRADEGY is the name of their band. It's a very weird story that I may not write. The third one is a story that's called: 100 WORDS FOR 100 STORIES that is just 100 different stories with 100 different prompts. Duh. The fourth is Chris has a sister, but that will probably never get written. And the fifth is IN THE ROUGH: VERSION 2. And the last one is a new family moves to Castle Rock and the youngest sister becomes friends with the gang, but she knows something they don't know.

Question Twenty-Two: Why don't Bailey and Chris get married?  
Answer: …I swear I answered this earlier…but I'll repeat myself. I didn't want Bailey to go through the major mourning period. If it makes you feel better, I first wrote Chapter Forty-Two where they did get married. Then I deleted it. Who knows, it may turn up in IN THE ROUGH: VERSION 2.

Question Twenty-Three: Are you done yet?  
Answer: Hey punk, no one's making you stay. Shut up or leave.

Question Twenty-Four: I hate you and your stupid story.  
Answer: That's not even a question moron. But thanks, you can leave now jackass.

Question Twenty-Five: Will you come over to my house and tell my brother to stop leaving the toilet seat up?  
Answer: Yeah, just as soon as you tell your mom to stop calling me. I was drunk and it was a one time thing.

_No rewinds  
No second times  
And I won't break  
I won't waste everything you left behind  
So don't follow  
Just let it go  
The weather's, been better  
Don't let it be another...  
__-Boys Like Girls, Up Against the Wall_

_

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_More Notes: It's officially over! I can't believe it. It didn't take me nearly as long as I thought it would! I'm actually sad to see it go, but I'm so glad everyone who read it seemed to like it! Not one bad review yet! That makes me so happy, it truly does! 

Don't forget to tell me which Stand By Me story you want to see in the near soon future!

**_Please don't forget to review!_**

_(yes, I did use a lot of exclamation points. Thanks for noticing.)_


	44. Alternate Ending

Notes: I know I shouldn't have wrote this because it just messes up the perfect ending I had, but I couldn't stay away. I've had these ideas in the back of my mind for a really long time and I broke down and wrote it. I wrote it in the mindset that this takes place right after THE GETAWAY, duh, that's obvious, but you can think whatever you want, Seriously, go crazy. NEVER SAY GOODBYE is just weirdly worded, I admit that. Have fun reading.  
Warning: Language and Violence.  
Summary: They were her boys. She was their girl. They were all best friends. Together forever. After the Ray Brower adventure, then what? What happens after? Find out here.  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
Reminder: Please review!

* * *

**A Million Love Songs**

It was almost seven when I crawled into bed after Chris had left. My stomach had knotted up and all I wanted to do was scream. I laid there under the covers for quite a while before I finally fell asleep.

When I woke up later, it was almost noon. Even though I still felt tired, I rolled out of bed. I was pulling my disheveled hair into a ponytail as I headed into the living room. I stopped in the doorway. Chris was sitting in the chair by the sliding door to the balcony.

"Chris? What are you doing here?" I asked, taking a step or two into the room.

Chris stood up and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I walked away from you once. I couldn't do it again."

I stopped. "What are you talking about? We decided this was for the best…"

"I was wrong." Chris said a little louder than usual. Then he laughed. "I was wrong." He whispered it this time. "And I realized than just before I left the city and when I did, I stopped the car. I did a U-Turn in the middle of a crowed intersection and almost got a ticket. I only stopped once on my way back."

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

Chris sighed and stepped up towards me. "I love you."

I smiled slightly. "I love you too." I whispered.

Chris looked me in the eye for a moment, and then asked, "Do you really mean that?"

I nodded slowly. I had no idea what he was thinking, but I knew I was thankful he had come back.

Chris took a step or two backwards. He looked at me for a moment, and then crouched down on one knee.

I always thought that if this ever happened to me, I would not cry like the women in movies and on TV. Nevertheless, tears came to my eyes almost instantly and my hands flew up to cover my mouth.

Chris pulled a purple velvet box from his pocket and opened it. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

I stared at him for another second and then dropped to me knees in front of him, wrapping my arms around him. "Of course I will!"

Chris slipped the ring on my finger and then kissed me.

_A million love songs later and here, I am trying to tell you that I care. A million love songs later and here I am. _

**Never Tear Us Apart**

"_Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other peoples sins. But delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes --_" Reverend Silverman kept going, but I could not hear him anymore. I was staring at Chris. He had never looked so amazing since I do not even know when.

"I do." I said.

_I love you _Chris mouthed.

I smiled slightly. _I love you too._

"I do." Chris whispered.

"You may kiss the bride."

I bit the inside of my lip as my new husband leaned forward to kiss me.

_Don't ask me, what you know is true. Don't have to tell you, I love your precious heart I, I was standing, you were there, two worlds collided and they could never tear us apart._

**Baby It's You**

Two armed embraced me so suddenly, I jumped and spilled some of the _Cream of Mushroom Soup _I was holding.

I spun around and hit Chris' arm. "Don't do that, you scared me." I looked at the clock as I got a rag. "What are you doing home; I thought you were working on some project?"

Chris and I had been married for about four years now. It was so nice. We had a little two-bedroom house near the University of Maine. Leaving Italy was hard for me, but I moved because I was being supportive. Chris has worked hard to be where he is now so I figured, since I also love him more than life itself, to move. Besides, I was closer to home and my mother.

Yeah, my mother and I patched things up in the months leading up to the wedding. So everything was going pretty perfectly.

Except one little thing that had not been planned…

"Dan had to leave, so we decided to continue tomorrow." Chris wrapped his arms back around my waist. "What are you making?"

I smiled. "Forgotten Chicken."

Chris sighed. "We eat it _all the time_." He complained jokingly.

"That's because it's easy, cheap, and good for you and I love it..." I moved away slowly to put it in the oven.

"Are you alright?" Chris asked.

I figured now was a good time to break the news. I turned around to face him, slowly, again.

"I…I wonder if the baby will like it too." There I said it.

At first Chris didn't say anything. Then he blinked a few times. "What?" He asked quietly.

I swallowed hard. "I said…I wonder if the baby will-"

"_Baby_?" Chris' voice cracked.

I nodded slowly. "Baby." I paused. "I'm pregnant."

Chris looked up at me, and then hugged me tightly. "I'm so happy."

I smiled. "Me too."

"What do you think it is?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't matter to me."

Chris kissed my forehead before hugging me again.

_Cause that's me, I don't ask for much. Baby having you is enough._

**Never Say Goodbye**

It was four years later when something strange happened. I had had twins that we named Avery and Abryanna. And I was pregnant again. Chris said no matter what, if it were a girl, her name would be Willow and if it were a boy, his name would be Noah. I had named the twins, so it was fair, sort of. I tried to use the excuse that I was giving birth, which was extremely painful, so I should get to name whatever it was either Zelia or Marco, but Chris just flat out denied my statement and then left for work. But after a few months, Willow and/or Noah seemed like good names. They were growing on me.

Gordie and Molly had come down for a visit for a few days. After the twins were born, we moved to a bigger house. The new house had four bedrooms and I had a strange feeling that we would need to move again. Molly and Gordie had brought their three kids, Emily, David and Isabella and they were all staying in the guest room. Well, since Isabella and Abryanna were the same age, they slept together like a long sleepover party. They were okay with it, even if they were just recently turned four, so we were okay with it.

A few minutes before Chris left for work, he came in and said he could pick up dinner. It was decided that Chicken Delight would be okay with everybody. But just as Chris was walking out the front door, I yelled out to him.

He turned back around, surprised. "What is it?" He asked.

I couldn't explain the weird feeling I had, so I lied. "I don't want chicken. Get Mexican food, okay?"

Chris, Molly and Gordie all shared a look. "Okay." Chris shrugged. "I love you."

"Love you too." I said as he left.

The feeling kept getting worse and I was beginning to get scared. My stomach started doing this pully-twisty-owwie thing and it refused to go away.

I must have been really freaked out because Molly sent me back to bed around one.

I read the entire time, trying to take my mind off Chris. Around five, he finally came home and I kissed him, long and hard. He looked confused, but also grateful for the kiss.

After dinner, we were all watching the news when a report came on about a murder in the Chicken Delight Chris would have been in if he hadn't gotten the Mexican food instead.

Gordie, Molly and Chris all looked over at me, surprised. I looked back, with the same expression on my face. I had no idea how I had known, but I had. Something bad could have happened if I hadn't said anything.

That night Chris kissed me and thanked me for sending him somewhere else. "If I had been there, it probably would have been me." He whispered.

That was some time ago. Chris and I are now old. Not old old, but old enough. Avery and Abryanna are twelve now. So that's eight years that passed. Chris and I did have to move into a new house, because we ended up having six kids. Avery and Abryanna, then Willow and Noah, (yes, another set of twins), then Zelia, then Marco. Our next child's name is going to be either Orlando or Ophelia.

Only thing is, Chris doesn't I'm pregnant again.

Seven kids is a lot, but we make enough money to support them. Our kids have everything they need and three/fifths of what they want.

As for Chris and I, we have everything we could ever have dreamed of. But even if you threw us back into the past, back when all we had was the tree house, the Ray Brower adventure, each other and Gordie, Teddy and Vern, we'd still have more than enough. Because back then we had everything. And now, we have everything and more.

_Never say goodbye, never say goodbye. You and me and my old friends, hoping it would never end. Never say goodbye, never say goodbye. Holdin' on - we got to try. Holdin' on to never say goodbye._


	45. Author Note

I was sitting in English class a few days ago when we talking about POV and I dtarted thinking about this story and I started playing around with an idea that formed in my mind.

So, what do you, the reader, think about In The Rough: Chris' Version?

I know, I can't seem to let go of this story.


	46. Author Note Part Two

Dearest readers,

A few months ago, I came up with a Bailey/Teddy friendship/fluff bunny that refused to leave. I typed it and am about to post it. It will be its own story on my homepage, so if you are interested, just head over and find it. It should be the first one.

I'm sorry that I keep adding parts to this story. I just can't leave Bailey and this world alone.


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